D&D (2024) Should a general Adventurer class be created to represent the Everyman?

[Micah Sweet]

This seems to almost always come back to definitions:

Everyman: in D&D terms, it's a term referring to common folk who are NOT adventurers.

Class: in D&D terms, it's a character's profession and adventuring role.

So. Common folk can't have a class. They are what's been referred to in earlier editions as "0-Level NPCs". Like the town guard or a local priest or any of the nobody NPCs who are not and have never been adventurers. Now, if they had been or were adventurers, they would have a class. These are fundamental elements of D&D.

But, a group considering playing a party of common folk could check two sources:

1. 5e's Von Richten's Guide to Ravenloft: it has rules for using "Survivors" (low-powered PCs)
2. AD&D's Treasure Hunt (N4): it has rules for creating 0-Level PCs

In 3e commoner and expert were classes, and there are D&D-adjacent games with similar mechanics.

 

[Theory of Games]

In 3e commoner and expert were classes, and there are D&D-adjacent games with similar mechanics.

Explains why I played so little of 3e. I never ran into a 6th-Level Commoner

 

[CreamCloud0]

THe Everyman fantasy typically is that if you actually keep going on the adventure, people realize you aren't an Everyman.

The Everyman is a Everyman in Tier 1.

When you hit Tier 2, the Everyman begins to or learns that their font of luck despite little formal training is not mere chance. They are a Prodigy, Inheritor, or a Prophesized Chosen one.

But on the outside they still look and smell like a normal person.

But that normal person just slew a ogre 1v1 with no formal combat training. Just with stuff he picked up watching the party fighter and a little grit.

that still feels like betraying the promised character premise to me.

the everyman for alot of people IS the person without a secret hidden special sauce to make them work.

 

[Minigiant]

This seems to almost always come back to definitions:

Everyman: in D&D terms, it's a term referring to common folk who are NOT adventurers.

Class: in D&D terms, it's a character's profession and adventuring role

And the question poses is

Could there a 5e Class that an Everyman upgrade into that doesn't require noticeable and maintained training required to enter?

Almost every class in 5e has a lore which implies years or decades (at the minimum months) of training to be 1st level and continue your progression indefinitely with that training.

But the game also assumes you can dabble at anytime for the more minor elements.

 

[Minigiant]

that still feels like betraying the promised character premise to me.

the everyman for alot of people IS the person without a secret hidden special sauce to make them work.

That's were Subclasses come in.

Subclasses would determine if you are just very lucky, very tough, or very special.

You could just be a farmboy whose days in the field made you tough and strong enough to survive battle and gain XP which you spend to get tougher and stronger. And at level 20 you are some super jacked Olympic level athlete of a farmer with a ton of scars and memories.

 

[Tonguez]

And the question poses is

Could there a 5e Class that an Everyman upgrade into that doesn't require noticeable and maintained training required to enter?

Almost every class in 5e has a lore which implies years or decades (at the minimum months) of training to be 1st level and continue your progression indefinitely with that training.

Is Folk hero still a background in 2024? Is it the Farmer now?

Folk hero was the commoner who had a defining moment where they stood their ground and fought off the ogre despite having no training - he becomes a fighter.

Jack who sneaks into the giants castle then cuts down the beanstalk becomes a rogue.

Its only Wizards and Priests that need years of training

 

[Theory of Games]

And the question poses is

Could there a 5e Class that an Everyman upgrade into that doesn't require noticeable and maintained training required to enter?

Almost every class in 5e has a lore which implies years or decades (at the minimum months) of training to be 1st level and continue your progression indefinitely with that training.

But the game also assumes you can dabble at anytime for the more minor elements.

Look at DCC. Isn't that the game you're trying to play? Why do you need 5e for it?

https://www.drivethrurpg.com/en/product/101050/dungeon-crawl-classics-rpg-dcc-rpg

 

[Olgar Shiverstone]

The everyman hold the torch. If he survives, he can move on from staff to crossbow. If he survives, you can give him a stat boost every other level. After 5 levels, you can see where he is putting his stat boosts and then add first level multiclassing benefits. Every other level add the next level of the class he chosen. After all this, he still generally stinks but is likely greater than the others in the village.

And carries the treasure. And occasionally gets used to trigger traps, so the cleric has to put him back together.

 

[Baron Opal II]

Is Folk hero still a background in 2024? Is it the Farmer now?

Folk hero was the commoner who had a defining moment where they stood their ground and fought off the ogre despite having no training - he becomes a fighter.

Jack who sneaks into the giants castle then cuts down the beanstalk becomes a rogue.

Its only Wizards and Priests that need years of training

Perhaps Monk. Maybe paladin depending on how you see them. I would be good in an Everyman having an epiphany becoming a paladin. "Wait- it's not might makes right. Might for right!" Otherwise, yes, those are the only two that require formalized study for a specific time.

 

[Minigiant]

Is Folk hero still a background in 2024? Is it the Farmer now?

Folk hero was the commoner who had a defining moment where they stood their ground and fought off the ogre despite having no training - he becomes a fighter.

Jack who sneaks into the giants castle then cuts down the beanstalk becomes a rogue.

Its only Wizards and Priests that need years of training

My point is that the 5th Edition fighter and rogue, especially in 2024, are too skilled and specially trained to "just become".

The fighter would take at least a year of training. And that's the minimum to learn every weapon, every armor, and how to practice every Weapon Mastery. And a fighting style.. And that's just assuming they aren't also training but not applying subclass techniques. An Eldritch Knight, Battle Master, or Rune Knight might be need extra years.

A rogue is looking at at least a few months. More likely a few years unless you are already on the path via a criminal or military background.