THE REAL MEN TILLING THE FIELDS.

[Skullcat]

Oh boy. oh boy. oh boy. LET US BEGIN.

So I'm here to address couple of things that I've noticed about the newest, and the only meta class in this current update; Commoner. I'll go ahead, and address few couple of things I've stumbled upon in this update


Starting off as a Commoner

So you've selected a race. Thought up of a name- and deity as you came to scroll into the class selection. Took Commoner, and went to configure packages. Commoners in fact don't have a lot of to work with feats other than feats that boost skills. While Commoner's true intention is to be a crafter class, for those that enjoys the crafting aspect of Arelith. I would like to divine upon that perhaps Commoner should be entitled the class-exclusive feats such as increased carry weight, and the passive appraisal bonus since the Commoner'll take very- very- very dreadfully long time to hit level 30 dependent on player's RpR.

However. There's some thing tremendously off to me when I first dawned upon commoners. Why is Sencliff, a den of villainy, and pirates- an available option for commoners? Sure. The Pirate den do definitely have regular people living there, but it's rather strange case-by-case scenario, and I am quite convinced that commoners shouldn't be taking sencliff start.

Starting Locations

Okay. Moving on. We've other starting locations commoner can choose. However, every starting location decides vastly on how much you get to accomplish your crafting, and how much you wanna be able to help contribute to your current place's economy. There's some economy where it's almost straight up impossible without being carried by a squadron of highly-leveled protectors. Then there's some scenario where all you need to do is just go to X, and gather Z.

Yes. in this case. I'm talking about Andunor start. If you've chosen Andunor start, and you've taken on carpentry. You're going to literally, and not figuratively, but literally hate yourself. Because commoners do not get access to wood whatsoever without exposing themselves to complete- and terrifying danger of the Outside world. Unless, of course, you enslaved yourself so that your owner may drag you to the surface. Which, most likely, you didn't. Commoners that'd taken carpentry are not unique to the Andunor's problem. Rather, there's other profession that a Commoner cannot partake because of location issues, such as herbalism, and alchemy being scarce as well. The Spore Farm circumvents this issue, but is locked behind whoever town elected took over the Spore Farm in the Property auction.

So rather. For Underdark commoners. There should be more of a safer way to get resources that they cannot find in the Underdark, to be able to assist them in gathering. Svirfs are perfectly an exception to this problem, because they are not classified as True Underdark PC, since they are able to go to the surface and gather resources that they needed.

Experience rates, and you

Commoner is perhaps the most AFK-simulator class to ever exist before on Arelith. Most of the time, you'll either be busy roleplaying in the Nomad, or any local tavern that's easily accessible on your location. Or busy gathering resources on surface- and sometimes slightly venturing a bit into less-than-dangerous caves where you're aware that there's no chance of enemy spawning on first level to just snag a few ores, or so.

Technically speaking, you're receiving very slow amount of experience. Slower than an adventurer even. Even an adventurer'll outlevel you within three hours- and be further ahead while you're still at the fate of waiting six minutes for a hour to pass so you'll be a few experience closer to next level.

I've no idea why the Commoner is barricaded against gaining full experience. But it would be nice if they've more alternative way to gather experience than to be locked out from it, and just being forced to play the commoner every minute of their life to be able to get to level 10. If you've read other commoner discussion. One points out that it would takes you more than a month at minimum to hit level thirty. In which most adventurer-players, if they hadn't been discouraged from playing their character, would've hit level 30 within less than a month.

So EXP gain is really- and heavily dependent on RPR, and DMs aren't around all the time consistently enough for the commoners to get RP award bonus. Currently, we've a level 9 Commoner right now after this point. But that said commoner is played by a player who's not employed at all. So in this case, if you've a job, and you wanna catch up to that point. You would better quit now!

Quitting your job aside. It'll be painful, and slog of waiting for your next level-ups.

Get out of my way, noble. I'm here to till the field!

In other cases. Commoners should receive a bit of buffing, and some care and LOVE*tm*. It would be nice if commoners of Underdarks aren't screwed over tremendously due to expected poor combat potential, and had no alternative to get to the surface. And could be given other way to get experience without having to constantly craft one-times stuff to get that adventuring EXP and then sitting in the Nomad just doing nothing productive but doing bar RP for long- long- time.


Just like, ya'know.

Cuz we should be gathering stuff.

[satan]

. In which most adventurer-players, if they hadn't been discouraged from playing their character, would've hit level 30 within less than a month.

Under a month?

I take it you hang out with a lot of power gamers without jobs or families?

This certainly hasn't been my experience.

[Adam Antium]

A veritable shitton (edited from previous word that accidentally made it past the censor lol) of players do not reach 30 in under a month.

[NauVaseline]

If I can play arelith like a standard 8 hr 5 day a week job because i'm in between real life ones or i'm on a break from school then yea I can get to 30 in a month.
If not, it'll take me 2.5 - 4

The primary difference is actually not available time, it's the ease of finding people to group up with who are around the same level as you when you have a lot of free time. When you play irregularly, someone who is the same level as you one day will usually be a few ahead the next time, then beyond your range after that.

[Orian_666]

If you really want to, and have the time, you can power level to 30 in about two weeks. It's been done before plenty of times.

But thats not important, what's important here is that the estimate of 1 month (solely on server ticks) for a commoner to get to 30 with average to decent play time is waaaaayyy off.

The actual amount of time, assuming you're 20RPR (most players are so this is our average), play six hours a day every day, and spend pretty much all of that time inside an inn for that sweet 10xp every six minutes bonus, then it'd take around 120 days on this routine to hit 30.

I love the addition of the commoner class, and honestly the leveling isn't really the main "issue" as far as i'm concerned, it's a symptom of it sure but not the main issue. The main issue in my opinion is the lack of "stuff" to do as a commoner.
There's no point in adventuring normally, you gain nothing from it except maybe some half decent loot, but just as much chance you get nothing useful, or crafting materials (just buy these from money you made crafting and selling stuff in general anyway) and you can't do writs too so it's worth even less t be out dungeon delving.

This is a massive issue because up until now "adventurer" was the only role we could truly play on the server and as such pretty much every feature, zone, activity, or just fun stuff to do is tailor made for adventurers.
Sure there are things a commoner can get in on, but for 75% of their play time (while leveling) their options are limited to 1 single thing... waiting.
Or kill rats on the cordor boats for that tasty 100-150 XP every spawn, that's not going to get boring fast amirite!!
I guess you could take pickpocket as a skill and sneak around picking pockets for XP, that' another option, but is it really a viable one? and it also restricts the kind of character you have to play, so no.

I'm fairly confident this isn't the last we'll hear of the commoner, i'd be very surprised if daddy Irongron didn't have a lot of new features, changes, additions, and "stuff" in the works to satiate the need for us to play as a commoner instead of the adventurer.

They do need a small amount of flat XP every time they craft an item though, and not just the first time they craft each individual item, every time. That'd really help alleviate the plight of leveling a commoner.

[Memelord]

Oh boy. oh boy. oh boy. LET US BEGIN.

Starting off as a Commoner

So you've selected a race. Thought up of a name- and deity as you came to scroll into the class selection. Took Commoner, and went to configure packages. Commoners in fact don't have a lot of to work with feats other than feats that boost skills. While Commoner's true intention is to be a crafter class, for those that enjoys the crafting aspect of Arelith. I would like to divine upon that perhaps Commoner should be entitled the class-exclusive feats such as increased carry weight, and the passive appraisal bonus since the Commoner'll take very- very- very dreadfully long time to hit level 30 dependent on player's RpR.

However. There's some thing tremendously off to me when I first dawned upon commoners. Why is Sencliff, a den of villainy, and pirates- an available option for commoners? Sure. The Pirate den do definitely have regular people living there, but it's rather strange case-by-case scenario, and I am quite convinced that commoners shouldn't be taking sencliff start.

Yeah, Sencliff should probably be removed. Commoner starts should be limited, I feel, to Cordor + Brog + Andunor (slave-only for surfacer races.) I omit Skal purely out of hatred for it and a desire to see a larger number of people not start there.

Starting Locations

Okay. Moving on. We've other starting locations commoner can choose. However, every starting location decides vastly on how much you get to accomplish your crafting, and how much you wanna be able to help contribute to your current place's economy. There's some economy where it's almost straight up impossible without being carried by a squadron of highly-leveled protectors. Then there's some scenario where all you need to do is just go to X, and gather Z.

Yes. in this case. I'm talking about Andunor start. If you've chosen Andunor start, and you've taken on carpentry. You're going to literally, and not figuratively, but literally hate yourself. Because commoners do not get access to wood whatsoever without exposing themselves to complete- and terrifying danger of the Outside world. Unless, of course, you enslaved yourself so that your owner may drag you to the surface. Which, most likely, you didn't. Commoners that'd taken carpentry are not unique to the Andunor's problem. Rather, there's other profession that a Commoner cannot partake because of location issues, such as herbalism, and alchemy being scarce as well. The Spore Farm circumvents this issue, but is locked behind whoever town elected took over the Spore Farm in the Property auction.

So rather. For Underdark commoners. There should be more of a safer way to get resources that they cannot find in the Underdark, to be able to assist them in gathering. Svirfs are perfectly an exception to this problem, because they are not classified as True Underdark PC, since they are able to go to the surface and gather resources that they needed.

The fact that the Underdark lacks vital resources and is incredibly dangerous is less a fault of the commoner class and more just a reality of living in the Underdark. It's not a bad thing, it's just something that anyone starting in the UD needs to realize and work around - it also means that most UD commoners will end up in shackles being fed materials by people, probably.

Experience rates, and you

Commoner is perhaps the most AFK-simulator class to ever exist before on Arelith. Most of the time, you'll either be busy roleplaying in the Nomad, or any local tavern that's easily accessible on your location. Or busy gathering resources on surface- and sometimes slightly venturing a bit into less-than-dangerous caves where you're aware that there's no chance of enemy spawning on first level to just snag a few ores, or so.

Technically speaking, you're receiving very slow amount of experience. Slower than an adventurer even. Even an adventurer'll outlevel you within three hours- and be further ahead while you're still at the fate of waiting six minutes for a hour to pass so you'll be a few experience closer to next level.

I've no idea why the Commoner is barricaded against gaining full experience. But it would be nice if they've more alternative way to gather experience than to be locked out from it, and just being forced to play the commoner every minute of their life to be able to get to level 10. If you've read other commoner discussion. One points out that it would takes you more than a month at minimum to hit level thirty. In which most adventurer-players, if they hadn't been discouraged from playing their character, would've hit level 30 within less than a month.

So EXP gain is really- and heavily dependent on RPR, and DMs aren't around all the time consistently enough for the commoners to get RP award bonus. Currently, we've a level 9 Commoner right now after this point. But that said commoner is played by a player who's not employed at all. So in this case, if you've a job, and you wanna catch up to that point. You would better quit now!

Quitting your job aside. It'll be painful, and slog of waiting for your next level-ups.

As the L9 (almost L10) commoner in question - oi, piss off. I'll bash yer fookin' head i swear on me mum. Ahem.

But yeah, a few alternative sources of experience wouldn't hurt. They don't even need to be massive. Something like giving commoners 1-3 XP per crafting point they spend would simultaneously allow them to actively gain a little bit of extra experience while still keeping them both leveling much slower than adventurers (since it comes out to an extra like 6-18 EXP per 6 minutes, less than if an adventurer had killed a single monster in that time) and encourages them to do the thing the class is custom built around doing: crafting shit.

I would also recommend allowing commoners access to writs, but ONLY to Courier writs (while also adding a few additional courier writs to the module.) This would be thematically appropriate but would still require them to ally themselves with (thus, interact and RP with) friendly adventurers and players to provide them with an escort to their writ's destination.

Now on to my own feedback and suggestions.

All commoners are functionally identical mechanically. They're almost all 18-20 INT crafting machines. I'd recommend adding a series of "paths" to them (similar to the old PDK-style stuff) each of which adds a unique bonus to the base commoner path. You could do things like:

Path of the Merchant: Commoner gains the Duergar-racial bonus for dealing with merchants (all merchants treat the Commoner as if they were a member of their own race, granting that +5% bonus price adjustment.)

Path of the Farmer: Commoner gains the Gift of Greenfingers for free, with a small chance of generating bonus resources.

Path of the Harvester: When harvesting with the appropriate tool (mining pick, gem hammer, logging axe) the Commoner has a chance of generating 1-2 bonus resources per node.

Path of the Apothecary: Commoner gains a soft +5 Heal skill bonus and the Brew Potion feat (allowing them to get bonus potions from the appropriate Herbalism/Alchemy crafts.)

Path of the Packmule: Commoner's STR score is treated as 6 higher for the purposes of determining encumbrance limits.

And so on.

[Sea Shanties]

(evidently "not important")

[Adam Antium]

commoner ... just seems odd.

... Why even have ... them at all ... ?

Unimportant bits removed

For real though, I'm just confused by the idea of a character who progresses better at crafting than literally everybody ever, and gains hitpoints, saves, and attack bonus, but doesn't learn through combat.

And I'm further confused by the notion that the other classes CAN'T SOCIAL RP. There are entire settlement positions that are basically nothing but social RP, which I know because I occupy one. My entire job is nothing but politics, schemes, meetings, reports, keeping records, meeting with other people, talking informally with others, and similar synonyms.

I just don't understand the point of commoner. We have the gift of crafting, and crafting skills, already, and idle exp... What was the point of commoner?

[Reallylongunneededplayername]

commoner ... just seems odd.

... Why even have ... them at all ... ?

Unimportant bits removed

For real though, I'm just confused by the idea of a character who progresses better at crafting than literally everybody ever, and gains hitpoints, saves, and attack bonus, but doesn't learn through combat.

And I'm further confused by the notion that the other classes CAN'T SOCIAL RP. There are entire settlement positions that are basically nothing but social RP, which I know because I occupy one. My entire job is nothing but politics, schemes, meetings, reports, keeping records, meeting with other people, talking informally with others, and similar synonyms.

I just don't understand the point of commoner. We have the gift of crafting, and crafting skills, already, and idle exp... What was the point of commoner?

The only way a commoner would ever be a real part of Arelith and actively played is:

-When they are the only folk that can craft and own shops

-When they gain xp by crafting -directly-

[Reallylongunneededplayername]

A veritable shitton (edited from previous word that accidentally made it past the censor lol) of players do not reach 30 in under a month.

If I have a healthy balance of social rp, crafting, grind and casual hunting/writs/explore

2-3 weeks at my average 10+h a day play time.

Truth is though: I don't like grinding, Mostly am doing far more social RP than getting that XP-yo.

so, I end up about one month- one and a half.

[Skullcat]

Hey man, I understands. You don't understands why Commoners exist, or what their purpose is. I guess they didn't spell out the class description for you well enough. So I'll summarize for you.

Commoner is a class inventively designed around crafting, and exclusively crafting aspect of Arelith. All adventurers cannot craft without another assistance of the tradecraft, and have to rely on communication heavily to achieve some of their crafts. There are definitely items where a Commoner cannot craft because it's race-locked, or class-locked, but that does not means that we'll inevitably stay that way for very long. If you cannot comprehend, nor come to fundamental understanding of what led to a Commoner class to exist. Then I do not know what to say to help you out.

Regardless. Commoner definitely is needed so that people have a more dedicated crafter-perspective into Arelith rather than locked into adventuring 24/7, and doing warfares on daily basis. The issue is, Commoner have very- very- terrifying slow experience gain.

Commoners are there to alleviate the pain of cross-tradecraft crafting. Such as Carpentry. Carpentry is very annoying without having to mess with other tradecrafts. Where Forging is almost exclusively by itself without any interconnection. Commoner is designed so that people would be able to accomplish a more specialized crafting, without being limited or being forced to depend on others to create the materials they need.



In one's perspective, Commoner may be seemingly as 'Can-Make-All', but you are wrong. They cannot make everything. As you've read above. They can only make what isn't exclusive to race, or class. In addition, they can only do so much. Commoners have to relies heavily on adventurers, which turn to more roleplay as they attempt to bribe, or hire adventurers to get them the item they need- or escort the commoners to the local dungeon with items they need.

In one's perspective, Commoners are 'social class', but in those who plays Commoners (Not you) would have completely different perspective in which we've many thing we have to make, and create. And we ended up playing the game just as you would if you're adventuring.

Now this isn't a debate channel. This is feedback. With that returning back on topic.

We definitely need a way to gain experiences that ISN'T just crafting one-times, and adventuring XP. Because eventually these sources will run out if one have to go into many dangerous scenario to gather the resources desperately needed for their tradecraft. Some have unfortunate timezone clash, where they barely see an adventurer where they are, or cannot achieve such a feat.

The player should definitely be given some form of aid that isn't just a +20 commoner EXP tick. It doesn't help you.

[Adam Antium]

A veritable shitton (edited from previous word that accidentally made it past the censor lol) of players do not reach 30 in under a month.

If I have a healthy balance of social rp, crafting, grind and casual hunting/writs/explore

2-3 weeks at my average 10+h a day play time.

Truth is though: I don't like grinding, Mostly am doing far more social RP than getting that XP-yo.

so, I end up about one month- one and a half.

No offense but that is a downright unhealthy amount of playtime. Most people don't - and CAN'T - play that much. Most people I know don't reach 30 in under a month.

Some do! And I don't begrudge anybody that does (although I do genuinely hope you're alright with that level of playtime). But I don't think it's the "norm" to reach 30 in under a month.


Regarding commoners: I'm glad some people enjoy them, but I still think it's a silly concept for a class. You get +10 tradeskill points with gift of crafting, what character honestly needs more than that without just ending up wanting to craft it all" as you say, Skullcat? 60 tradeskill points is enough to master one skill and be decent in another. That's not bad. You could have - and people did have - crafting focused characters before the commoner class. Commoner really just doesn't seem useful. What's to stop you from playing a rogue or bard or fighter or cleric or ranger as a peasant who mostly just spends his time at the forge in town?

[Reallylongunneededplayername]

A veritable shitton (edited from previous word that accidentally made it past the censor lol) of players do not reach 30 in under a month.

If I have a healthy balance of social rp, crafting, grind and casual hunting/writs/explore

2-3 weeks at my average 10+h a day play time.

Truth is though: I don't like grinding, Mostly am doing far more social RP than getting that XP-yo.

so, I end up about one month- one and a half.

No offense but that is a downright unhealthy amount of playtime. Most people don't - and CAN'T - play that much. Most people I know don't reach 30 in under a month.

Some do! And I don't begrudge anybody that does (although I do genuinely hope you're alright with that level of playtime). But I don't think it's the "norm" to reach 30 in under a month.

Unable to work, Recently I got myself out of my weelchair, Still struggling with some stuff. So Arelith is currently my place to "keep sane" wich isn't currently doing much good but thank the gods I don't play Fortnite, Right?

[Adam Antium]

My apologies then, I hope everything works out in the future. That sounds rough.

[Reallylongunneededplayername]

My apologies then, I hope everything works out in the future. That sounds rough.

No harm done.

[The GrumpyCat]

Everything Memlord says I basically agree with. I love these ideas especialy.

The only minor point of contention is the Sencliff one. You could try and play a humble deckhand? Or a cabin boy? Or a humble fisherman? I think there's a little scope there for the commoner class. Don't mistake me, I wouldn't be crying salty, salty tears if it was removed as a starting area, but nor do I think it's really a massive problem that it exists.

I can understand some people 'not getting' commoners. And that's fine. That's not your play style. There's nothing wrong with that. I don't get most monster races. I can't really concieve that playing your run of the mill goblin could, in any way, be fun. But there are players who adore that! And that's great! Likewise maybe the Commoner class isn't for you, and that's fine. It's not a play style that'll suit everyone. But I think they sound quite fun, it's something I certainly might try one day.

Finally to the arguments of slow leveling - whilst I don't dissagree with the idea that there should be some other minor sources of xp (I like the idea of a little xp given for crafting resources especially) I also don't neccesarly think that the slow leveling is a problem. It's just a trait of the class. It's what makes commoner... common. With all respect, it feels like complaining that they level slow is like complaining that your Drow can't hang out in Myon, or your paladin can't go around burning orphanages. It's a quirk of the class. If you want something that levels fast and gains awsome exp though action and adventure... don't play a Commoner.

Also to put things in perspective, when I'm player side it takes me about six months to level up to 30. Back in the day, when I first joined under JJJerm (granted this is over a decade ago) I was told that the average player was supposed to be able to reach thirty within approximatly nine months.

Just to give you an idea of scale.

[Archnon]

And I'm further confused by the notion that the other classes CAN'T SOCIAL RP. There are entire settlement positions that are basically nothing but social RP, which I know because I occupy one. My entire job is nothing but politics, schemes, meetings, reports, keeping records, meeting with other people, talking informally with others, and similar synonyms.

I just don't understand the point of commoner. We have the gift of crafting, and crafting skills, already, and idle exp... What was the point of commoner?

Honestly, I think this hits the nail on the head. Social RP is the main form of RP and the bulk of that occurs around trade for the average player. Sure the elites are forming pacts and accords, signing treaties and organizing groups, but the average new player just learning his chops is buying and selling gear to other people. More importantly, they are trading materials they need, catalysts, ingots, etc. This can lead into adventuring friendships. This is what we need.

The commoner can sit around and grind, and frankly, to get the hours you need to get to higher levels, you would be doing mostly sitting because other players are just not around. Further, they are a one stop crafting shop. They no longer rely on the craft work of other people. It completely circumvents the intentional mechanic of crafting that you cannot successfully make all the materials you need.

Further, aside from the crafting, it just doesn't make sense. Commoners are not good at everything. They are not master performers, master hiders, perfect crafters, amazing diplomats, lock-picks, etc etc etc and that is basically where this class is going. If you were good at all that stuff, you would have been an adventurer of some variety.

I think we need a merchant class, and one that can be successfully RP'ed but it doesn't need to be an independent class that is a slow role up to an economic god. Instead:

1.) Combine Commoner and Expert into a single epic class, Merchant, available only at level 21.
2.) Cap it at 5 levels like Harper, and honestly consider gating it for RP purposes
3.) +2 Craft Points assigned to the six categories and +4 CP for creation per level That makes a total of 10 points to the crafts and 20 to creations.
4.) Level 1: Skill F, ESkillF bonus, Level 2: SF, Level 3, ESF, Level 4: SF, Level 5: ESF: So a total of 3 Skill Focus, and 3 Epic Skill Focus
5.) Additional Bonuses
Level 1: SF and ESF Appraise for free,
Level 3: Favored Merchant: Duergar style
Level 5: Bonus weight reduction: The Pack Mule Feat -25% weight or something
6.) Language Skills: Give them a free language at 75% every other level, so 1, 3, 5
7.) Most important: Like Harper and Assassin, they automatically join a merchant trade guild, This means: They can't be settlement leaders. Further, you set up a trade guild office in Cordor, and have people RP the creation of satelites. These offices take over the courrier writs and are locations for advneturers to sign up for merchant protection. Further, they are a starting point as the DM team starts to consider settlement to settlement merchant work.

This set up would allow players to retire into trade. Further, it would encourage lots of RP as opposed to the Proletariat of Alts that we will have under the current system.

I am glad to write this up and throw it in the suggestion forum if the Dev's/Admin's need that!

[Nitro]

The part that confuses me about Commoner is why they have 3/5 AB. A 20/10 Commoner/specialist actually isn't a terrible combatant and will be more than capable of going dungeon diving with friends or slamdunking on adventurers in their late teens levels down.

[The GrumpyCat]

And I'm further confused by the notion that the other classes CAN'T SOCIAL RP. There are entire settlement positions that are basically nothing but social RP, which I know because I occupy one. My entire job is nothing but politics, schemes, meetings, reports, keeping records, meeting with other people, talking informally with others, and similar synonyms.

I just don't understand the point of commoner. We have the gift of crafting, and crafting skills, already, and idle exp... What was the point of commoner?

Honestly, I think this hits the nail on the head. Social RP is the main form of RP and the bulk of that occurs around trade for the average player. Sure the elites are forming pacts and accords, signing treaties and organizing groups, but the average new player just learning his chops is buying and selling gear to other people. More importantly, they are trading materials they need, catalysts, ingots, etc. This can lead into adventuring friendships. This is what we need.

The commoner can sit around and grind, and frankly, to get the hours you need to get to higher levels, you would be doing mostly sitting because other players are just not around. Further, they are a one stop crafting shop. They no longer rely on the craft work of other people. It completely circumvents the intentional mechanic of crafting that you cannot successfully make all the materials you need.

Further, aside from the crafting, it just doesn't make sense. Commoners are not good at everything. They are not master performers, master hiders, perfect crafters, amazing diplomats, lock-picks, etc etc etc and that is basically where this class is going. If you were good at all that stuff, you would have been an adventurer of some variety.

I think we need a merchant class, and one that can be successfully RP'ed but it doesn't need to be an independent class that is a slow role up to an economic god. Instead:

1.) Combine Commoner and Expert into a single epic class, Merchant, available only at level 21.
2.) Cap it at 5 levels like Harper, and honestly consider gating it for RP purposes
3.) +2 Craft Points assigned to the six categories and +4 CP for creation per level That makes a total of 10 points to the crafts and 20 to creations.
4.) Level 1: Skill F, ESkillF bonus, Level 2: SF, Level 3, ESF, Level 4: SF, Level 5: ESF: So a total of 3 Skill Focus, and 3 Epic Skill Focus
5.) Additional Bonuses
Level 1: SF and ESF Appraise for free,
Level 3: Favored Merchant: Duergar style
Level 5: Bonus weight reduction: The Pack Mule Feat -25% weight or something
6.) Language Skills: Give them a free language at 75% every other level, so 1, 3, 5
7.) Most important: Like Harper and Assassin, they automatically join a merchant trade guild, This means: They can't be settlement leaders. Further, you set up a trade guild office in Cordor, and have people RP the creation of satelites. These offices take over the courrier writs and are locations for advneturers to sign up for merchant protection. Further, they are a starting point as the DM team starts to consider settlement to settlement merchant work.

This set up would allow players to retire into trade. Further, it would encourage lots of RP as opposed to the Proletariat of Alts that we will have under the current system.

I am glad to write this up and throw it in the suggestion forum if the Dev's/Admin's need that!

A illmateri healer who has taken a voew never to hurt a living soul.
A surley tattoo artist, downtrodden and sour, who spends her days in the slums
A cowardly wretched, scarred by war, with no desire to fight again, survivng from thievery
A jolly bar tender, who is too nervous to even think of delving into the dark
A stuffy nobleman, who faints at the sight of blood.

All these concepts are ones who not only do social rp but for whom adventure rp would basicaly make little sense. This new class assists them seeing through these concepts. They won't ever level as fast as Jonny Adventurer, sure, and that's fine. But it means that their concepts are a bit more feasable, and that they have some mechanical reasoning and excuse for their concepts. A reason wy they wouldn't just throw themselves into.

Your class addition concept sounds interesting, but still forces the player into, ultimatly, having to play an adventurer. Many people enjoy that, I dare say most people enjoy that, but not everyne enjoys that. And the commoner class assists that concept idea.

[Sea Shanties]

Unimportant bits removed

What is this? I'm sorry everything I said isn't of interest to you but there's no reason to put me down for expressing an opinion. Things are contentious enough on the forums lately and you don't have to be insulting every chance you get.

[Memelord]

A few points I feel are important to make in this ongoing conversation:

1) The creation and inclusion of new options for other people to make use of is in no way a commentary on the quality of anyone's (or anyone's capacity for) RP. Nor does a lack of interest in participating in said options give anyone a license to demean or be rude to players that are interested in doing so.

2) Color commentary provided by players who are expressly and openly uninterested in the class or the style of play offered by the class really are not on topic, nor are they helpful or pertinent.

kthnxbai.

[Subutai]

Unimportant bits removed

What is this? I'm sorry everything I said isn't of interest to you but there's no reason to put me down for expressing an opinion. Things are contentious enough on the forums lately and you don't have to be insulting every chance you get.

I think he was just making a joke by editing your post down just say commoners were pointless, just to add a bit of humor to the start of his post. Like if I quoted Martin Luther King Jr. like..

I have a dream that one day ... oasis ... will ... sing ... w ... o ... n ... d ... e ... r ... w ... a ... l ... l

[Irongron]

A bunch of great suggestions here. Action Replay shared this at the time, which as some amusing entries 'Wrath of the mere peasant!'

We'll definitely do more at some point, but its not going to be a priority at the moment as I'm sure people can understand.

Only thing I will pick up from above, as its been mentioned elsewhere, is the courier quests. This makes sense, and I expect it will be done, but it reminded I actually liked the idea of crafting quests in general. These wouldn't be writs, but 'wanted items' that would appear via a NPC/Board in Andunor's hub etc. A randomised list of objects from the crafting recipes, where one would get the GP value, plus a modest XP reward upon delivery. I think it would be nice, as frankly we have a TON of recipes that nobody in their right mind would otherwise set out to make. A large poison order from Claddath? A tailor wishing a consignment of large leather? Not just for commoners, but for everyone.

[Adam Antium]

Unimportant bits removed

What is this? I'm sorry everything I said isn't of interest to you but there's no reason to put me down for expressing an opinion. Things are contentious enough on the forums lately and you don't have to be insulting every chance you get.

I think he was just making a joke by editing your post down just say commoners were pointless, just to add a bit of humor to the start of his post. Like if I quoted Martin Luther King Jr. like..

I have a dream that one day ... oasis ... will ... sing ... w ... o ... n ... d ... e ... r ... w ... a ... l ... l

Yeah, I thought it was obvious I was just poking fun at the commoner class, given that the following text from my post was saying "I don't understand the point of commoner, because X, Y, Z."

Sorry, I guess?

[Ebonstar]

just to clarify the numbers posted above.

i made a commoner just to see it first hand, yes i know i always pick the odd things people think are stupid to play.

at rpr 20 you get the 20 plus 20 for commoner then any pool you earn with normal area and other bonuses.

but back to the basics 20 and 20 is 40 xp per tick base. or 400 per actual playing hour. which as level 30 is 435000 xp means without any bonuses is 1087.5 hours of actual time.
this of course allocates down to 45.3125 days if playing 24 hours a day

181.25 days or just over six months at 6 hours a day, and lets not forget when we dont move in our social play for a time and we miss that xp tick so it can be even longer.

again these numbers do not include your area, first time craft portal find etc pool bonus xp.