These discussions took place on the wizards.com boards.

I've compiled This section from multiple posts. The content is unchanged, but the organization is.

By NerdNumber1, 2007/01/24

I have thought of my own rules for a commoner campaign. Here are my base ideas (Feel free to critique or ignore if you think I should shut up and enjoy the epic of joe):

• All players start as 1st lvl human commoners.
• They start with 5-10gp of equipment, clothing, coins, tent, etc. Players cannot start with more than or equal to 1gp in coins.
• Players start with 3/4 of their first hit die (3).
• Role stats in order (No switching stats). Players are allowed ONE rerole of all stats if they are horrid, but must accept the result, even if it is worse.
• Players may switch to another (only one) NPC class (warrior, expert, or adept only) by multiclass rules, but have to spend a period of several weeks training and an enormous training cost. (I don't know how much)
• Only start with weapons that have non-war additional uses (No-maces, morning-stars, etc. DM's rule.)
• Don't allow players to “take 10” for most checks such as profession. This gives a bit of randomness and risk. Never let them have an endless survival stradegy.
• Survival checks shouldn't auto-feed x players. It should let you roll for what food you gather and what game you find (which you then have to fight and prepare).
• If players try buying an expensive product they will attract thieves. Noble's have protection, lucky commoners don't. Also they should upgrade they're wardrobe or wealthy commoners whould be thought thieves.
• The arms and equipment guide has rules for price fluctuations. Use supply and demand to balance player growth.

The mundane tasks will be broken up by adventurer sightings, ork raids, bar fights, occasional monsterous encounters during hunting, etc. There will be a dungeon outside town, but exploration will be greatly discouraged (a kobold scouting party could be lethal).

Just for comparison:

• Joe was made with the 25pt array, arranged to suit his background (outdoors, working with animals, needs good Con to survive the weather and Str to haul reluctant animals around but doesn't know diddly about the way towns work)
• He started with the minimum starting gold for a commoner (5gp + standard free outfit - peasant's)
• He started - like any PC - with max hp on his first HD (It's only 4 hp after all)
• His one weapon is a dagger

Things to consider:

• When equiping remember that tents and backpacks are expensive by commoner standards: think sideways - Joe uses a sack (1sp) rather than a backpack (2gp).
• Pick your proficient weapon carefully. Try and choose one that will do for several different things. Daggers might not do the most damage, but they can be used both in melee and as ranged weapons + they do both piercing and slashing damage.
• I like the sound of your tasks. You can also spice up the 'mundane' side of things by throwing in such events as competing with other (NPC) groups for the available work, coping with balky animals and anything that Murphy's Law might throw up.

By Heros_Backpack

NerdNumber1: I was even thinking of ruling fatigue or sickness if they neglect to buy a bedroll or find shelter (such as a tent, 5gp one person, 10gp 2-people, 20gp 4-people). I find the shortspear good, half the price, greater throw range, and greater damage. How do you think of giving players a small chance to get a higher class (about 20-50gp depending on the class I think, please help). I just want a little excitement besides profession roles (or taking 10). Also some tips for 3rd party DM's that want to use the idea: slings, clubs, and quarterstaffs are free. I'd love to see what large guilds do to small buisnesses (thug attack!).

Fatigue for sleeping without a bedroll might be a possibility - if you warn your players that will be the case. I think sickness for having no shelter at all really depends on the weather. In temperate areas you only really need shelter during the winter/ in constant rain. In warm ones you need even less. Also, a cheaper (if more makeshift) shelter can be made using 9 square yards of canvas (1sp/sq yd) and two 5 ft poles (1sp each). Prop one side of canvas on both poles and you have room underneath for 4 people and their personal belongings.

If you want to make sure your players have money left for more mundane items, you could make a rule that they can buy any simple weapon that costs under 3gp. (Dagger, punching dagger, club, spear, shortspear, quarterstaff, dart, javelin or sling)

How do you think of giving players a small chance to get a higher class (about 20-50gp depending on the class I think, please help). I just want a little excitement besides profession roles (or taking 10).

Sounds good, but I'd multiply the base cost by the character's current level. Probably say 20gp for adept (The church will take anyone devout enough), 35gp for expert (apprentice fees, artisan tools, shop rental) and 50gp for warrior (armor, weapons and military training come expensive) leaving aristocrat completely unavailable.

For excitement, think of all the things that could go wrong and apply them.

Does the town council insist on a service quota of goods before you can work for yourself? What if they raise it without notice? What if your apprentice is ill and you can't make the quota?

Do the wild animals insist on wrecking crops and killing the farmer's livestock?

Is your shop robbed? Does someone pick your pocket - or try to? Does smebody far away put a curse on the town so that all raw materials of one type become unusable?

Can you deal with the cheating peddlars, the would-be arsonist and the hulking adventerer who refuses to accept your price?

By Heros_Backpack.

Here are my suggested varients. Please take with salt provided (Hands over salt cellar).

• Skills: Appraise, Bluff, Craft, Diplomacy, Knowledge (local), Listen, Profession, Search, Sense Motive, Spot.
• Preferred Weapon: Club or Dagger

• Skills: Balance, Climb, Craft, Handle Animal, Heal, Knowledge (Nature), Listen, Profession (farming), Spot, Use Rope.
• Preferred Weapon: Sickle or Sling

• Skills: Balance, Climb, Escape Artist, Jump, Knowledge (geography), Knowledge (nature), Profession (fishing), Spot, Swim, Use Rope.
• Preffered Weapon: Club or Shortspear

• Skills: Climb, Handle Animal, Hide, Jump, Knowledge (nature), Listen, Move Silently, Profession (hunting), Spot, Survival.
• Preferred Weapon: Spear or Crossbow

• Skills: Bluff, Climb, Gather Information, Handle Animal, Intimidate, Jump, Listen, Spot, Swim, Use Rope.
• Preferred Weapon: Club or Unarmed Attack

• Skills: Appraise, Bluff, Diplomacy, Gather Information, Handle Animal, Knowledge (local), Profession (teamster), Ride, Sense Motive, Use Magic Device.
• Preferred Weapon: Quarterstaff or Light Crossbow

By Heros_Backpack.

Consider that a DMG commoner can own up to 20gp of starting equipment (5d4). At the top end of that, a commoner pedlar could afford a mule, pack-saddle and some cheap trade goods. This sort of 'trader' would travel between villages and isolated farms, selling the sort of things that take more time/skill to make than the villagers/ farmers have.

Typical Pedlar Goods:

This is an example of a cheap stock list - total value 4gp

• 5 Whetstones
• 1 lb soap (in 1oz pieces)
• 10 torches
• 2 needles
• 3 skeins thread
• 5 pts oil
• 5 common lamps
• 5 fish hooks
• 20 candles
• 5 pieces chalk
• 15 assorted ribbons
• 5 lb knitting wool
• 2 metal flasks
• 2 clay pitchers

I would define a commoner trader as someone who sells from a pack, handcart, or market stall, or someone who delivers goods for another. As such, they are among the better off of commoners but have nowhere near the wealth of a shop-owning expert.

By Heros_Backpack.

Hunting itself actually comes under the Survival skill and since Joe is making his snares from cord, that comes under Use Rope.

So, the rules I used are:

• To make a working snare - Use Rope DC 15
• To find an animal trail in the woods - Survival DC 10
• To set the snare so that it catches something - Survival DC 12 + must be left for 8-12 hours minimum.

If you make all three rolls, you have caught something: Roll 1d10

• 1-5 = rabbit
• 6-7 = squirrel
• 8 = weasel
• 9 = cat
• 10 = a predator got there before you and robbed the snare, roll again to see what you lost.

By alegerin, 2008/04/18

The survival skill is crucial for anyone who is to make a living in the wilds. The most common use of the survival skill would be to find food for yourself or others. However in the wild you will nedd more then just food to survive. You can also use survival to find fire wood, find safe water to drink and tell what the weather may be like for the next couple of days.

Firewood: For those who dont want to buy their firewood from a store and lug around twenty pounds of wood until camping time, the Survival skill can be used to find firewood. Rotted firewood burns for 1d2 hours, Wet firewood burns for 1 hour, Average firewood burns for 1d6+1 hour and Good firewood burns for 2d4+2 hours.All firewood bought in a store counts as Average.

• 01-30 Rotted
• 31-40 Wet
• 41-90 Average
• 91-00 Good

• 00-15 Ten minutes
• 16-35 Thirty minutes
• 36-50 Forty-five minutes
• 51-71 One hour
• 72-00 None found

Survival is a critical skill for those stalking wild game,such as rabbits, deer or bear.Once game is found, it must be brought down. It is recomended that one does not try to cut down deer with a sword, therefore bows,crossbows and slings are the best weopon for such a job, if they can be afforded.

• 01-20 Ten Minutes
• 21-35 Thirty minutes
• 36-45 One Hour
• 46-00 None found

• 00-04 1D4 deer**
• 04-10 1D6 deer and 1D2 bucks**
• 11-13 1D10 deer and 1d4 bucks**
• 14-16 1 moose*
• 17-20 1 bull moose*
• 21-22 1 moose and 1d2 calves*
• 23-35 1d4 rabbits
• 36-42 1d6+2 rabbits
• 43-50 1d10+4 rabbits
• 51-54 Fox
• 55-57 porcupine
• 58-60 skunk
• 61-62 1 elk
• 63-64 1D3 elk
• 65-66 1D6 elk
• 67-70 1 mountain goat*
• 71-73 1d3 mountain goats*
• 74-75 cougar
• 76-77 bobcat
• 78-81 1D4 wolves
• 82-84 1D10+10 quail or other game bird
• 85-86 2D10+10 quail or other game bird
• 87-90 black bear
• 91-92 Grizzly bear
• 93-951d4 wild horses*

*Where appropiate. If this result shows up where that animal could not possibly be re-roll or treat as None found.

**This animal can be swapped out for other similar animals. for example on dry plains deer could be antelope or gazele.

Fishing is another important skill for outdoorsmen or women. all it requires is a rod ,some string ,a hook and maybe some bait. Notice there is no listing for time. that is because fishing takes time and therefore goes by the hour. to pull in a fish, make a strength check. for small Dc 8, for medium Dc 12, for large Dc 15. if three consecutive strength checks are failed the line snaps.

Fishing(per hour)

• 01-06 1D4 trout*(small)
• 07-12 1D8+2 trout(small)
• 13-16 1D4 trout(medium)
• 17-20 1D6 trout(medium)
• 21-55 1d10+2 “garbage fish”
• 56 1 predator fish**,***
• 57 1 trout(large)
• 58-00 nothing

*the fish size is not actually small. it is just a small fish for the species. the actual size would be either fine,diminutive or tiny. a large trout would be closer to the size of Small.

**depending on the climate this fish may change. for example in cold weather this would be a pike.

***counts as large

• 01-05 1d4 tuna(medium)
• 06-09 1D6+2 tuna(medium)
• 10-11 1d4 tuna(large)
• 12-13 2D4 tuna(large)
• 14-18 2d8+3 samlmon(medium)
• 19-25 1D8+5 salmon(medium)
• 26-30 marlin(large)
• 31-35 small shark(large)
• 36-40 monster encounter
• 41-00 nothing

• 01-08 1D10+20 shrimp
• 09-15 2D10+25 shrimp
• 16-20 1D6 lobsters
• 21-25 1D6+2 lobsters
• 26-30 1D10 crabs
• 31-33 1D10+5 crabs
• 34-38 1D10+20 clams
• 39-42 2D10+20 clams
• 43-50 monster encounter
• 51-00 nothing

I think the second table for finding firewood is unnecessary, as is the first for finding tracks. How about something more like:

Survival Skill

• DC 10-Find enough wood in one hour
• DC 15-Find enough wood in half an hour
• DC 20-Find enough wood in 15 minutes.

Survival Skill

• DC 10-Find tracks in one hour
• DC 15-Find tracks in half an hour
• DC 20-Find tracks in 15 minutes

Also you might want to change the wording about affording a sling. They are free.

algerin: Thanks for the tips. the reoson i did that is that your supposed to roll how long it took to find first, then find out what type you found. for example if i said “ you found some tracks leading northwest,after 30 minutes of searching,do you follow them?” then the player might say “No i only planned on spending 10 minutes out here, ill follow them in the morning, because it is getting dark.” however since i did not create D&D then i cannot make the rules set in stone then by all means your way works just as well as mine.

These are ideas from outside the wizards.com thread

The Normal Personplugin-autotooltip__default plugin-autotooltip_bigThe Normal Person

In the standard D&D 3.x rules, an average person has levels in NPC classes such as Commoner and Expert. These work reasonably well in most campaigns, but they also pose some problems. For example, let's say the best chef in the world has a +30 modifier in Profession(chef). Even with Skill Focus and an 18 wisdom, this must be a level 20 character. As such, besides being a genius with a stock pot, this character is an even match for a trained platoon of soldiers in combat.: I got tired of the idea that the king's master chef also had to be able to take on half an army single-handed, so I wrote up this new set of rules for NPCs. This is for D&D 3.5.

Starting before level 1plugin-autotooltip__default plugin-autotooltip_bigStarting before level 1

Here's an idea for a campaign that begins before the characters are adventurers. It starts way down at level -2, leaving a long way to go before the great powers of level 1. Naturally, in a world where this takes place, encounters will have to be adjusted.: Rules for an extraordinarily low-powered adventure.