Character Creation

Ability Scores
Each character has six ability scores that represent his character's most basic attributes. They are his raw talent and prowess. While a character rarely rolls a check using just an ability score, these scores, and the modifiers they create, affect nearly every aspect of a character's skills and abilities. Each ability score generally ranges from 3 to 18, although racial bonuses and penalties can alter this; an average ability score is 10.

Racial modifiers (adjustments made to your ability scores due to your character's race—see Races) are applied after the scores are generated.

Standard Hero: Roll 4d6, discard the lowest die result, and add the three remaining results together. Record this total and repeat the process until six numbers are generated. Assign these totals to your ability scores as you see fit. This method is less random than the Classic method character, and tends to create characters with above-average ability scores.

The struggle of good verses evil is perhaps the central aspect of any fantasy plot. Midnight is no different.

The Elf Queen Aridil watches from her meditation chamber as an elite group of Danisil rip an orc patrol to shreds.

A dwarven warlord strides through broken and forgotten streets of a nameless city hidden within the Kaladrun Mountains. His axe drips with the blood of a dozen orcs.

A mighty Dornish warrior hamstrings a giant, bringing the creature to its knees and just within reach of the killing stroke.

But, even the most powerful warrior must start somewhere. Timeless tales such as the Lord of the Rings, Starwars, and even the more recent Wheel of Time all tell of the little person, the ordinary folk who rise to the occasion and set off on an epic journey to face the forces of evil.

Character creation is much the same as creating a character of any normal class. In fact, the process is identical. The only difference is that the character doesn’t get his starting feat for being a 1st level character nor does he select a Heroic Path. Commoners begin play with 1d4 x 10gp worth of gear.

Hit Points: 1d4 (+con bonus) (MAX this statistic, no need to roll)

Skill points: 2 + Int Modifier.

Class Skills: Climb (Str), Craft (Int), Handle Animal (Cha), Perception (Wis), Profession (Wis), Ride (Dex), and Swim (Str).

Cross Class Skills: Anything else (check with DM to work anything unusual into your commoner career via the campaign backstory)

Languages: As normal.

Feats: None.

Heroic Paths: None (Yet)

Level / Base Attack Bonus / Fort Save / Ref Save / Will Save
1st -----------+0 -------------+0 -----------+0 -------+0

Class Features
The following is a class feature of the commoner NPC class.

Weapon and Armor Proficiency: The commoner is proficient with one simple weapon. He is not proficient with any other weapons, nor is he proficient with any type of armor or shield.

When the character accumulates 500xp, the character takes a level in a normal PC class. He also gets his feat for being a 1st level character and gets to select his Heroic Path. Other changes are as follows:

Skill Points:

The character gets a number of skill points to spend based on his newly chosen class:

Barbarian  ---8 skill points
Channeler  --16 skill points
Defender  ---8 skill points
Fighter   ----0 skill points
Legate   ----0 skill points
Rogue   ----24 skill points
Wildlander  -16 skill points

The character does not add any bonus skill points from Intelligence or race. These points where added at character creation.

Hit Points:

The character gains a number of hit points dependent upon his newly chosen class:

Barbarian  --8
Channeler  -2
Defender  --6
Fighter   ---8
Legate   ---6
Rogue   ----2
Wildlander  -6

The character does not add his Constitution bonus to his Hit Points at this time. These points where added at character creation.

Base Attack:
The character gains the base attack bonus of a 1st level member of his newly chosen PC class.

Saving Throws:
The character gains the saving throws of a 1st level member of his newly chosen PC class.

Special Abilities:
The character gains all of the special abilities of a 1st level member of his newly chosen PC class.

Proficiencies:
The character gains access all of the proficiencies of a 1st level member of his newly chosen PC class.

Advancement:
Upon reaching 500xp, the character selects a standard PC class. Adding the new class results in a character (Character level of 1) who needs 500 xp more to achieve 2nd level. The commoner class and the PC’s first standard PC class level combine to make a single character level. After achieving level 2, level progression continues as stated in the Player’s Handbook.