Peasant Simulator Game Mode

Your base character is a standard Dungeons and Dragons 5th Edition Commoner, you do not have a Class and you are starting at Level 0. The purpose of this variant game mode is to create a character and discover their class while playing as them. There are four ‘Thresholds’ before you reach Level 1. At the 1st Threshold you choose a Common Flaw, then at the 2nd Threshold you gain a Common Talent and a Fate Point followed by the 3rd Threshold when you receive an Uncommon Talent and become Unflawed. This means that you effectively overcome your initial Common Flaw. The final is the 4th Threshold at which point you have become a 1st Level adventurer and are no longer a commoner. Below are your base stats.

Commoner

Medium humanoid, any

Armor Class 10

Hit Points 4

Speed 30ft

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STR

10 0

DEX

10 0

CON

10 0

INT

10 0

WIS

10 0

CHA

10 0

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Senses Passive Perception 10

Languages Any One Language (Usually Common)

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Actions

Club: 1d20+2 , 1d4 bludgeoning

Knife: 1d20+2 , 1d3 piercing

Unarmed Strike: a punch, kick, head-butt, or similar forceful blow. On a hit, an Unarmed Strike deals bludgeoning damage equal to 1 + your Strength modifier. You are proficient with your unarmed strikes.

Choose a race from: Northern Badgerfolk, Southern Badgerfolk, Hill Dwarf, Mountain Dwarf, High Elf, Sea Elf, Wood Elf, Forest Gnome, Rock Gnome, Lightfoot Halfling, Stout Halfling, Half-Elf, Human, Tiefling.
Hit Dice: 1d4
Proficiency Bonus: +1
Weapons Proficiency: Choose any one.
Saving Throws: Choose any one.
Skills: Choose any one.

Peasant Sim Thresholds

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Thresholds	Proficiency Bonus	Features	Fate Points	XP
1st Threshold	+1	Level 0, Common Flaw	0	0
2nd Threshold	+1	Common Talent	1	125
3rd Threshold	+1	Uncommon Talent, Unflawed	1	225
4th Threshold	+2	Level 1, Choose a Class	0	300

Common Flaw:

Though common folk are hardy and well-versed in labour, most are unsuited for adventuring or the rigors of combat. When you take your first partial level as a commoner, you gain your choice of one of the following flaws:
Animal Friend: You consider yourself a close friend of all beasts, big and small. Whenever you see a beast, regardless of its CR or whether or not it is hostile, you treat it as if it were a friendly creature, acting as if you were charmed by it. You can use an action on your turn to make a Wisdom saving throw with a DC of 15 – the CR of the beast (round up). On a success, you are no longer obligated to consider that beast as friendly for the next 24 hours.
Cowardly: You are automatically frightened of any hostile creature with a CR equal to or greater than twice your partial character level. You can use an action on your turn to attempt to overcome this fear, rolling a Wisdom saving throw against a DC of 10 + the creature’s CR (round up). If you are successful, this flaw does not cause you to be afraid of that creature for the next 24 hours.
Curious: The world contains such dangers, and such wonders! When you first see a lever, button, tripwire, or similar triggering device, you must make a Wisdom saving throw with a DC of 10 + the number of these saving throws you have succeeded in the last 24 hours. If you fail this saving throw, you must move towards the device and attempt to trigger it, until it is either triggered or out of your sight.
Foolhardy: The thrill of real combat often overcomes your common sense. After rolling initiative, you must use your movement speed to move as close as you can to the hostile creature with the highest CR that you can see, heedless of dangers between you and your target. You must then use your action to attack that creature or, if the creature is still out of range, use the Dash action and continue moving as close as possible to the creature. You can act normally on subsequent turns.
Illiterate. You cannot read any languages, and treat words (and those who read them often) with extreme scepticism and suspicion.
Rational: Everyone can be reasoned with, and you’ve never met a situation you can’t talk your way out of. When you encounter a creature with whom you share a language, you cannot attack that creature, and often attempt to persuade that creature using skill checks or simply defend yourself from harm using actions such as Dodge or Hide. You can use an action to make a Wisdom (Insight) check opposed by that creature’s Charisma (Deception). On a success, you can recognize that creature as a threat, and can make attacks against it.
Superstitious: You see omens and portents everywhere, but fortunately you know the proper signs to ward them off. The first time you see a specific magical signifier (a glowing skull, a spellbook, a set of mystic runes etched into a door) and are not engaged with hostile creatures, you must stop what you are doing and undertake a one minute long routine of mutterings and somatic gestures designed to ward you from evil. You can take no other action until this is complete.
Talkative: You chatter almost incessantly, including in inopportune moments. Stealth checks made by friendly creatures within 30 feet of you are made with disadvantage, and hostile creatures have advantage on initiative checks they make when fighting you, if they were able to hear you before they could see you.

Common Talent:

Starting at the 2nd Threshold, you have learned a few basic tricks to enhance your survival. Choose one of the following benefits to receive:

• Skilled: Skills you are proficient in use a proficiency bonus of +2, instead of +1.
• Sturdy: You gain one additional maximum hit point for each commoner partial level you have.
• The Gift: You learn a single cantrip from the cleric, sorcerer, or wizard spell list. Your spellcasting ability for this cantrip is Wisdom if you chose a cleric cantrip, Charisma for a sorcerer cantrip, and Intelligence for a Wizard cantrip. You do not require a focus or materials to cast this cantrip, but once you use it, you cannot use it again until you take a short or long rest. You use your spellcasting ability modifier when setting the saving throw DC for a commoner spell you cast and when making an attack roll with one, as follows:
  Spell Save DC = 8 + your proficiency bonus + your spellcasting ability modifier
  Spell Attack Modifier = your proficiency bonus + your spellcasting ability modifier
• Weapon Training: You have begun extensively training with the weapons you use. You use a proficiency bonus of +2, instead of +1, for attacks with any weapon you are proficient in.

Fate Points:

Also at the 2nd Threshold, your destiny begins to shape itself, and you are likely fated for more than your common origins. You gain one fate point. When you would die or be reduced to 0 hit points, you can choose to expend your fate point. If you do, you instead do not die or you ignore a single source of damage that would reduce you to 0 hit points. Your DM comes up with a creative and perhaps implausible explanation for how you have escaped harm. Once you use a fate point, it does not return, and is permanently expended. At the 3rd Threshold, you gain one additional fate point, cumulative with the other fate point you may or may not still have.

Uncommon Talent

At the 3rd Threshold, you are beginning to seem more like an actual adventurer, and less like expendable cannon fodder. You gain the improved version of your Common Talent trait, listed below, which functions in addition to the trait as described in Common Talent.

• Skilled, Improved: You learn one additional skill of your choice.
• Sturdy, Improved: You gain proficiency in your choice of either light or medium armour.
• The Gift, Improved: You learn one 1st-level spell off the same class spell list as the cantrip you chose. You can cast this spell once, requiring neither a focus or spell slots. After casting this spell, you require a long rest before you can cast that spell again.
• Weapon Training, Improved: You gain proficiency in one martial weapon of your choice.

Unflawed

Also at the 3rd Threshold, you have learned enough from your trials that you are no longer troubled by the inexperience that once plagued you. You ignore the effects of your Common Flaw feature.

Class Level

Once you reach the 4th Threshold, you are no longer a commoner, and have become a full-fledged (if still somewhat green) 1st level adventurer.
(You immediately lose all commoner class features, proficiencies, and unspent fate points, and gain the benefits associated with the 1st level of a non-commoner class of your choosing (other than starting gear). You lose all commoner partial levels, and gain the 1st level of your chosen class.)

Food and Water

Characters who don't eat or drink suffer the effects of exhaustion (see appendix PHB-A). Exhaustion caused by lack of food or water can't be removed until the character eats and drinks the full required amount.
Food: A character needs one pound of food per day and can make food last longer by subsisting on half rations. Eating half a pound of food in a day counts as half a day without food. A character can go without food for a number of days equal to 3 + his or her Constitution modifier (minimum 1). At the end of each day beyond that limit, a character automatically suffers one level of exhaustion. A normal day of eating resets the count of days without food to zero.
Water: A character needs one gallon of water per day, or two gallons per day if the weather is hot. A character who drinks only half that much water must succeed on a DC 15 Constitution saving throw or suffer one level of exhaustion at the end of the day. A character with access to even less water automatically suffers one level of exhaustion at the end of the day. If the character already has one or more levels of exhaustion, the character takes two levels in either case.

Background:

The following background is available to all characters, but makes an ideal starting point for a commoner.

Common Folk

Sun up, sun down, you live an ordinary life in one of the many small towns or big cities that are scattered across the world. You are used to hard work and toil. Though you are relatively poor, you can usually scrape together enough to get by. How do you feel about where you have grown up, and the life you have lived? Do you have regrets, dreams, or aspirations? And, naturally, when adventure comes calling, how will you respond?
Daily Toil: In any community, regardless of size, everyone has a purpose. Some may be more essential than others, but every member fills a role that identifies them and ingrains themselves in the fabric of society. Choose a vocation for your character from the following list, or determine one randomly.
d8 1d8 Daily Toil

1. Crofter (tenant of a small piece of land)
2. Inn worker, roll a d4 1d4 : 1) Barman/Barmaid, 2) Cook, 3) Ostler/Stablehand, 4) Brewer
3. Herder, roll a d4 1d4 : 1) Shepherd, 2) Goatherd, 3) Cowherd, 4) Swineherd
4. Undesirable, roll a d4 1d4 : 1) Gong Farmer, 2) Rat Catcher, 3) Beggar, 4) Knacker (removes animal carcasses)
5. Guard Recruit
6. Carter (you pull a hand cart for a living)
7. Domestic Servant, roll a d4 1d4 : 1) Maid, 2) Groom/Stablehand, 3) Page, 4) Butler (in charge of the buttery)
8. Apprentice Artisan, roll a d6 1d6 : 1) Blacksmith, 2) Carpenter, 3) Weaver, 4) Baker, 5) Bodger (wood turner), 6) Cordwainer (makes new shoes)

Skill Proficiencies Perception, Survival

Tool Proficiencies One set of artisan’s tools

Equipment

• Choose one: (or roll a d6 1d6 ) 1) Club, 2) Handaxe, 3) Knife, 4) Quaterstaff, 5) Sickle, 6) Sling and 10 Sling Bullets
• Common Clothes. This outfit includes a shirt, a skirt or pants with a drawstring, shoes, and perhaps a linen or leather coif or simple felt hat.
• One satchel containing, ether a set of artisan’s tools or a musical instrument, a Bedroll, a Waterskin and one days’ worth of rations (1).
• A belt pouch containing your starting wealth. Starting Wealth = 2d4cp 2d4 and 1d3sp 1d3 .

Features

Feature: Hard Worker: You are able to press on through challenging conditions, exerting yourself more than should be possible. When you would gain a level of exhaustion from any source other than a class feature, make a Constitution saving throw. The DC of this saving throw is 12 + twice the number of times you’ve rolled this saving throw in the past 30 days. If you succeed on this saving throw, you do not gain the level of exhaustion.

Suggested Characteristics

Common folk tend to be at once determined and resigned, accepting of their lot in life but willing to make the most of it and continue to press on. The common folk often pride themselves on their distance from formality and luxury, considering the hardships they suffer to be the hallmarks of a life well-lived.

Traits

Roll a d8 1d8	Personality Trait
1	If I’m not worn out, the job’s not done.
2	A well-timed grunt or spit says all that needs saying.
3	I celebrate just as hard as I work.
4	I don’t trust large sums of money. Nothing good ever comes from that.
5	I know thousands of jokes about nobles, want to hear one?
6	Singing helps the time go by, and makes life bearable.
7	I understand animals. Usually better than people.
8	I try and learn about all sorts of places I’ll probably never visit.

Ideal

Roll a d6 1d6	Ideal
1	Community. Everyone needs a helping hand, sometimes. (Good)
2	Strength. The stronger I get, the more I can do. (Neutral)
3	Selfishness. My needs are all that matter. (Evil)
4	Status. Hard work improves my social standing. (Lawful)
5	Freedom. I’m always looking for a chance to cut loose. (Chaotic)
6	Order. Things are the way they are for a reason. (Lawful)

Bond

Roll a d6 1d6	Bond
1	I believe that my community should prosper, and everything I do is for them.
2	I have a sick relative, and I must work to support them.
3	My gambling debts are particularly large, and I fear those coming to collect.
4	The world is a dangerous place, and I must protect my people from harm.
5	I’m in love with a noble, and must outgrow my social standing if I’m to have a chance.
6	Someday, I’ll make my family name mean something.

Flaw

Roll a d6 1d6	Flaw
1	I have an irrational hatred of nobles, or of one noble family in particular.
2	I’m actually surprisingly lazy.
3	I have an almost slavish adherence to protocol.
4	Any time that can be a party, should be a party.
5	Monsters and dragons are just superstition! I refuse to learn otherwise.
6	I’m very practical, and complicated plans completely escape me.

Quick Build

Choose a race or roll a d8 1d8 :
1) Badgerfolk, roll 1d2 : Northern, Southern
2) Dwarf, roll 1d2 : Hill, Mountain
3) Elf, roll 1d3 : High, Sea or Wood
4) Gnome, roll 1d2 : Forest, Rock
5) Halfling, roll 1d2 : Lightfoot, Stout
6) Half-Elf
7) Human
8) Tiefling.

Hit Dice: 1d4
Proficiency Bonus: +1
Weapons Proficiency: Choose any one.
Saving Throws: Choose any one.
Skills: Choose any one.

Choose a Common Flaw or roll a d8 1d8