Sunday, November 18, 2018

Class: The Commoner [First Draft]




Level 0 play is a really intriguing option to me. I love starting the party in a position of relative powerlessness, and having them earn their stripes from there.

I kicked around how to do this for some time, experimenting with ideas like Level 0 Archetypes, backgrounds-as-classes, and other off-the-wall spitballing ideas before finally settling on the Commoner class, as you see it here.

The Commoner is a class unlike any other, not necessarily meant to be played alongside traditional fighters, rogues, wizards, or the rest. Commoners are by nature weaker to the point of near death, and exist entirely before 1st level. 

A commoner is a class about overcoming your flaws, getting stronger, and learning to survive.

FEATURES:

  • Four Fractional Levels of Class Progression, culminating in your first level in an adventuring class!
  • A Collection of Unique Flaws, to give each commoner character and something to struggle against.
  • A Handful of Perks, illustrating how each commoner learns the tricks necessary to help them survive.
  • A New Background, for any character, but particularly for aspiring commoners!
CONCERNS:
  • As with any new game mechanic, will it work as intended?
  • Are commoners too weak, or too strong?
  • How to the flaws and perks measure against each other?
WHAT I LEARNED:
  • Classes in D&D can be made to do a lot! Even things they're not really intended to do.

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