Commoner Tweaks

[Pallanza]

There was a discussion of player classes a while back where some posters stated that the commoner feels boring or plain, and has no reason to be chosen over almost any other class because solo or multiplayer, the others all have a higher net positive contribution due to their perks in spite of their flaws. Turning this starting point over and over in my head, I came to the idea of giving the commoner some perks, but with the key of them not directly relating to combat, hunting or mining.

• Perk: Laborer - Higher charcoal drop amount when breaking a charcoal stack, faster digging speed, faster lumberjacking speed.
• Class-Specific Item: Pitchfork - A humble tool for humble people. Used for tending fields, loosening soil and, in a pinch, fending off attackers.

The pitchfork is really a combination between two real life tools, the pitching tool of the same name, and the garden fork which can be used to turn soil in preparation for planting. This tool is meant to act as a sort of multi-tool and primitive weapon, freeing up slots that would have to be taken by a spear, shovel and hoe for other users while still making those role-specific tools better in most ways if you're willing to haul them all around. I was also partially inspired by Warhammer Fantasy's Brettonian Peasant Mobs, many of whom are sent into battle using only their work tools for defense and the pitchfork being one of them.

• Durability: 100
• Tool Tier: 0
• Mining Speed: Soil 1.75x, Charcoal 1.75x, Thatch 1.75x
• Attack Power: -2.3 hp
• Attack Tier: 1
• Attack Range: 3m
• Left-click: Attack if enemy is targeted with a thrust, dig if a terrain block is targeted
• Right-click: Tills soil into farmland if targeted

Crafting:

S   S   S

 x    L   x

K   L   x

• S - Sticks
• L - Log (any type)
• K - Knife
• x - Blank space

The tool allows commoners to fulfill a support role in the form of basic labor that can be expected on a regular basis in early and mid-game; making/expanding farms and creating charcoal. It's made from simple materials that can obtained once the user has enough stones to knap an axe and knife, but is more limited in combat application than a regular spear which can be thrown (for extra damage by a Hunter) and has more reach (with more melee damage if used by a Blackguard). A sling still provides longer engagement capabilities for relatively cheap materials and ammo so Malefactors still have an edge in early-game hunting. It does offer the same amount of damage as an obsidian spear with more range than an axe or stick, which means the Commoner can use it as an early-game melee defense in addition to its homesteading role. Because it's class-specific, the hoe isn't invalidated as an item since in a single-player game other classes won't be able to make it, and the hoe has a faster digging speed as well as metal variants with more durability and even higher digging speed. A similar principle applies to the shovel, with the bonus of the shovel also having bonuses for snow, sand and gravel.

I feel like these perks don't step on the toes of any other class and give the Commoner a bit more flavor. You really get the sense of them being a straight-forward worker who handles the thankless, glory-less tasks that the others don't care for. And you can finally yell at all those damn drifters and wolves to "get th'hell off me land!" while shaking your fork at them in an aggressive manner.

 

[Pallanza]

Thought a little bit more, and came up with another minor Commoner perk that helps with the production of rope.

Cooper: Increased drop amount for reeds from Cooper's Reeds/Papyrus

[Zelger]

That picture looks dope af

[SingABrightSong]

Definitely interesting mechanical considerations, but my experience with the discussion on classes is that players overwhelmingly stick with Commoner, despite the unique bonuses of other classes, to avoid the explicit maluses in other areas. That being said, however, giving Commoner a selection of global bonuses e.g.to work-speed or yield, could allow for the other classes to be defined by specialization bonuses rather than reliance on maluses for balance.