Commoner 5e
Every farmer, shopkeeper and bystander in 5e uses the commoner stat block: challenge rating 0 (10 XP), AC 10, 4 hit points (1d8) and all ability scores at 10. Its Club attack has a +2 bonus and deals 2 (1d4) bludgeoning damage. In the 2024 rules, Training grants proficiency and advantage in one skill.
Press a button to roll for the commoner.
Commoner stat block
Medium or small Humanoid, Neutral
| Armor Class | 10 |
| Hit Points | 4 (1d8) |
| Speed | 30 ft. |
| Challenge | 0 (10 XP; proficiency bonus +2) |
| STR | DEX | CON | INT | WIS | CHA |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10 (+0) | 10 (+0) | 10 (+0) | 10 (+0) | 10 (+0) | 10 (+0) |
- Senses: Passive Perception 10
- Languages: Common
Traits
Training. The commoner has proficiency in one skill of the GM’s choice and has Advantage whenever it makes an ability check using that skill.
Actions
Club. Melee Attack Roll: +2, reach 5 ft. Hit: 2 (1d4) Bludgeoning damage.
How to run the commoner
The angry mob: One commoner is harmless. Ten with clubs are a problem for a low-level party. Against AC 16 each +2 swing hits 35% of the time, so ten of them land about 3.5 hits and 8.75 damage a round. Surround the paladin and let the players decide whether they really want to start killing villagers.
Training is the 2024 upgrade: Pick a skill that fits the person. The blacksmith gets Athletics, the herbalist gets Medicine, the old poacher gets Survival, the gossip gets Insight. They roll that skill with proficiency and advantage, which makes a plain NPC worth asking for help. The NPC generator is a quick way to give each one a name and a trade.
Running crowds: Don't roll initiative for twenty villagers separately. Group them in fives in the initiative tracker, roll one attack per group with advantage or not, and narrate. Most mobs break and scatter once two or three of them go down or someone casts a loud spell.
Commoner: 2014 vs 2024
| 2014 Monster Manual | 2024 Monster Manual / SRD 5.2 | |
|---|---|---|
| Traits | None | Training (one skill with proficiency and advantage) |
| Size | Medium | Medium or Small |
| Alignment | Any alignment | Neutral |
Commoner FAQ
How many hit points does a commoner have in 5e?
A commoner has 4 hit points, rolled as 1d8, in both the 2014 and 2024 rules.
How much damage does a commoner do?
Its club attack is +2 to hit and deals 2 (1d4) bludgeoning damage, so 1 to 4 per hit.
What does the commoner Training trait do?
In the 2024 rules the GM picks one skill. The commoner is proficient in it and has advantage on ability checks using that skill.
What XP is a commoner worth?
A commoner is challenge rating 0 and worth 10 XP.
Related
- DnD NPC Generator
- Guard 5e
- Roll a d4
- All D&D monsters
Monsters of similar challenge
- Bandit (CR 1/8)
- Cultist (CR 1/8)
- Guard (CR 1/8)
- Noble (CR 1/8)
- Warrior Infantry (CR 1/8)
- Priest Acolyte (CR 1/4)
- Scout (CR 1/2)
- Tough (CR 1/2)
- Pirate (CR 1)
- Spy (CR 1)
- Bandit Captain (CR 2)
- Berserker (CR 2)
Rules are summarised in our own words; monster stat blocks are reproduced from the SRD. This work includes material from the System Reference Document 5.2 ("SRD 5.2") by Wizards of the Coast LLC, available at dndbeyond.com/srd. The SRD 5.2 is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License. Card icons by Lorc and Delapouite from game-icons.net, licensed under CC BY 3.0.
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Contains content from the System Reference Document 5.1 and 5.2 by Wizards of the Coast LLC, used under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.