Commoner, Peasant, Mud-Farmer

[virgil]

Commoner
Size/Type: Medium Humanoid (Human)
Hit Dice: 1d8 (4 hp)
Initiative: +0
Speed: 30 ft.
Armor Class: 10, touch 10, flat-footed 10
Base Attack/Grapple: +0/+0
Full Attack: Club +0 (1d6), or Sling +0 (1d3)
Space/Reach: 5 ft./5 ft.
Saves: Fortitude +0, Reflex +2, Will +0
Abilities: Str 10, Dex 10, Con 10, Int 10, Wis 10, Cha 10
Skills*: Handle Animal +4, Knowledge (nature) +5, Profession (Farmer) +4
Feats*: Endurance, Skill Focus (Knowledge - Nature)
Environment: Temperate Plains
Organization: Hermit (1), Family (2 to 7), Hamlet (20 to 100)
Challenge Rating: 1/6
Treasure: Standard
Alignment: Usually neutral
Advancement: By character class
Everyone knows what a commoner looks like. Watch one of the Disney movies set in medieval times and look at any of the unnamed villagers. They are the lowest of civilized life, not even deserving of a class level, their pitiful combat prowess making the ruthless adventurer question the point in suffering them to live. Literacy is not assumed, and only the commoners who are especially educated are able to do more than add up their tabs.

Commoner Quickstats: HP 4; Init +0; AC 10, Grapple +0; Club +0 (1d6), Sling +0 (1d3); Saves +0/+2/+0; Handle Animal +4, Knowledge (nature) +5, Profession (Farmer) +4

Variant Proletariat
Commoners at the bottom of the social ladder have varied ability based on the drudgery of their existence. The above assumes the most common lifestyle for the D&D human, a farmer. The following templates are to be used for alternate skill and feat selections, based on their lifestyle.
Cutpurse

• Skills: Hide +2, Listen +2, Open Lock +4, Sleight of Hand +4, Spot +2
• Feats: Idle Hands, Alertness

Performer

• Skills: Bluff +3, Perform (Dance, Sing) +4, Sleight of Hand +2
• Feats: Jazz Hands, Skill Focus (Bluff)

Labourer/Knave

• Skills: Craft (any two) +4, Use Rope +4
• Feats: Endurance, Pack Mule

Master Craftsman

• Skills: Craft (any one) +7, Profession (Artisan) +4, Spellcraft +2 (+6 identify)
• Feats: Skill Focus (Craft), Iron Hands

Healer/Midwife

• Skills: Heal +7, Knowledge (nature, religion) +4
• Feats: Healing Hands, Folk Lore

Beggar

• Skills: Perform (oratory) +2, Knowledge (local) +2, Search +2
• Feats: False Pretenses, Omniscient Whispers

Merchant

• Skills: Appraise +4, Diplomacy +4, Profession (merchant) +4, Spellcraft +4 (identify only)
• Feats: Iron Hands, Skill Knowledge (Appraise, Diplomacy)

Scholar

• Skills: Knowledge (any one) +5, Decipher Script +5, Speak Language +2
• Feats: Skill Focus (Knowledge, Decipher Script)

Expert: This is as notable as a commoner can get and still be a commoner, the one recognized by their peers as being good at their job. They have a +2 to the primary stat used in their profession. If the stat is Intelligence, then the additional skill is something suitable for their circumstances, like an additional Craft or Knowledge.

New Feats

• False Pretenses [Spelltouched]: When successfully saves against a charm or compulsion, opponent believes the spell was successful.
• Folk Lore: You get a +2 bonus on all Knowledge (nature) and Knowledge (religion) checks.
• Healing Hands: You get a +3 bonus on all Heal checks, and it is considered a class skill.
• Idle Hands: You get a +2 bonus on all Open Lock and Sleight of Hands checks.
• Iron Hands: You get a +4 bonus on Spellcraft checks to identify a spell or magically created/shaped material that's already in place, which you can do untrained.
• Jazz Hands: You get a +2 bonus on all Perform (Dance) and Perform (Sing) checks.
• Omniscient Whispers [Spelltouched]: Once per week, you can tune into the voices you hear, getting hte answer to a question much as if you had asked it with a commune spell. Using this feat renders you exhausted.
• Pack Mule: Your Strength is considered 5 points higher for purposes of carrying capacity.

[Niles]

• Pack Mule: Your Strength is considered 4 points higher for purposes of carrying capacity.

Might want to make this 5 points, carrying capacity doubles every 5 points of strength.