I have recently gotten into creating homebrew, and have decided to make a homebrew class that is essentially a commoner, using the homebrew tool on D&D beyond, here are my questions:

1. can you make a full homebrew class, if so how?

2.  if it has to be a subclass what should the base class be?

3. does anybody have suggestions for possible abilities

p.s, after I have finished the homebrew I will put the link in this thread, thank you in advance.

p.p.s, please ignore the top poll, if you vote on it please use the poll directly above this message.

The entire point of being a Commoner is to not have a class. Gaining class levels is literally what caused your character to stop being a commoner. So to answer your questions:

"1. can you make a full homebrew class, if so how?"

Not on D&D Beyond.

"2.  if it has to be a subclass what should the base class be?"

None.

"3. does anybody have suggestions for possible abilities"

It should not have any because that is the entire point of being a Commoner.

"p.s, after I have finished the homebrew I will put the link in this thread, thank you in advance."

The correct link already exists: Commoner : https://www.dndbeyond.com/monsters/16829-commoner

"p.p.s, please ignore the top poll, if you vote on it please use the poll directly above this message."

Unable to use either poll as the correct answer of "None" was left out.

I want to point out that a commoner class did exist.

…yeesh.

Lemme bring up the mood:

I think you’ve hit on an interesting notion: a “Commoner” class WOULD probably be similar to a martial class like Barbarian; or an artisan like an Artificer…in that “if” they were focusing on combat, they’d probably be reckless & untrained; and if they were focused on skills, it’d be on trade skills (crafting).

In a traditional medieval D&D setting, I’d say that a Commoner wouldn’t be proficient in any sort of martial weapon; only simple weapons (indicative of say, farming equipment).

Now, Barbarian is a bit too…buff?…for my personal preference; but I could see myself creating a “commoner” Barbarian character using the Berserker subclass…just a fed-up Commoner who’s finished with all the dangerous, crazy sh*t in this fantasy world.

…so an Artificer would get my vote for a Commoner subclass: their  “spellcasting” is based around using tools to achieve exaggerated effects (which helps keep it a LITTLE mundane)… they gain proficiency / expertise in using tools; which a commoner would be good at using for their livelihood…yeah; I think that fits rather well.

I like the idea of a commoner farmer; so let’s use that as an example: the Artificer subclass might give them agricultural-based prepared spells like “Goodberry”, “Plant Growth” or “Mold Earth”…maybe something like “Tidal Wave” or “Control Water” for irrigation.

If I was a commoner, I’d also need shelter…it’s a dangerous world for a commoner, after all: so their tools proficiency would probably be “Carpenter’s Tools” or an “Herbalism Kit”; for building a hut or working the field.

Heh…I actually kind of like this idea. Lots of fun potential.

Thank you for your input, I will keep it in mind

I would just make a commoner background and then select the class for the NPC/PC in particular. You can come up for a backstory for how he because a fighter, sorcerer, rogue, cleric, etc.

The concept of "commoner" doesn't really mesh with the concept of a class, particularly as used in 5e. The point of classes is to represent skilled "professionals" in various martial, technical, and magical fields. The archetypal idea of a "commoner" is typically your basic unskilled laborer, lacking the framework to allow for proper skill/feature progression. Really, if you want a level-based framework to use for something like NPC design, I'd recommend looking at the "Sidekicks" section in Tasha's Cauldron of Everything.

In 3.5e the commoner class was a NPC class.

d4 HP / level

no trained saving throws

proficient with a single simple weapon

no class features

Effectively, nothing any player would voluntarily touch.

Quote from Natemaus27 >>

I want to point out that a commoner class did exist.

 
That was from an edition when all people had “levels.” In this edition only PCs (and some monsters) get levels.

Usually when you build a class/subclass you have more than a name to go on. People have stated plenty of reasons why this isn't a thing, so it would be good to know a reason why it should be. Do you have any ideas on what this class would play like or mechanics you'd like to use?

If not, I'd just use an NPC stat block.

Quote from scatterbraind >>

Usually when you build a class/subclass you have more than a name to go on. People have stated plenty of reasons why this isn't a thing, so it would be good to know a reason why it should be. Do you have any ideas on what this class would play like or mechanics you'd like to use?

If not, I'd just use an NPC stat block.

 I just thought it would would be fun to make.

Quote from IamSposta >>

Quote from Natemaus27 >>

I want to point out that a commoner class did exist.

 
That was from an edition when all people had “levels.” In this edition only PCs (and some monsters) get levels.

 but it still existed, I never said anything about players being able to use it, I just said that it existed.

Quote from Natemaus27 >>

Quote from IamSposta >>

Quote from Natemaus27 >>

I want to point out that a commoner class did exist.

 
That was from an edition when all people had “levels.” In this edition only PCs (and some monsters) get levels.

 but it still existed, I never said anything about players being able to use it, I just said that it existed.

 
I never said anything about players being able to use it either.

There was a point to the commoner subclass’s existence when it existed because all NPCs had classes back then. Now they don’t. Now, if you want a commoner to have anything more than the standard commoner, you just alter the statblock however you want. The old commoner subclass updated to 5e would essentially just be identical to any class’s progression (other than fighter or rogue), but they would only get the ASIs/feats, no other features or anything. I regularly add races, backgrounds, and feats to statblocks like the commoner all the time to make them a little different than standard commoners. You don’t really need a class for that this edition. I mean, if you really, really wanted to do it you could, but it would just be an ASI every 4 levels is all, and maybe proficiency with clubs, daggers, spears, slings and shortbows, no saving throws.