OSR: 1d100 Actually Medieval Professions

Every OSR system needs a good table of professions. Arnold K's and James Young's tables are
good, but (despite claims), they aren't terribly medieval. Examples: forceps (only widely used in
the 1700s), astronomer (not really a profession separate from astrologer until the 1600s),
chimney sweep (not a profession until the Industrial Revolution), icecutter (rare and very, very
regional until the 1800s), etc.
The professions below aren't implausible for a European city or town between 1100 and 1400.
I've found citations for all the Guilded professions listed.
1d100 Actually Medieval Professions
Roll
Profession
Guild?
Item
Weapon
Weapon Type
1
Armourer
G
helmet
hammer
light, improvised
2
Astrologer

book of star tables

dagger
light
3
Bag-maker
G
leather bag
club
light
4
Baker
G
2 loaves of bread
dough paddle
medium, improvised
5
Barber-Surgeon
needle and thread
scalpel
light, improvised
6
Basket-maker
G
3 small baskets
dagger
light
7
Belt-maker
G
2 sturdy belts
belt with heavy buckle
useless, improvised
8
Blacksmith
G
iron tongs
hammer
light, improvised
9
Brasiers
G
brass handle
hammer
light, improvised
10
Brewer
G
tiny barrel of beer
mash paddle
medium, improvised
11
Bridle-maker
G
leather bridle and saddle
awl
useless, improvised
12
Embroiderer
G
needle and thread
club
light
13
Broom-maker
G
broom
sturdy broom
medium, improvised
14
Butcher
G
live lamb (0 slots)
cleaver
light, improvised
15
Carder
G
comb and bundle of raw wool
club
light
16
Carpenter
G
plumb line, 10 nails
saw
light, improvised
17
Cartwright
G
handcart (0 slots)
hammer
light, improvised
18
Chalk cutter
G
chalk, 5 pieces
chisel (as dagger)
light
19
Chandler
G
3 candles
dagger
light
20
Charcoal Burner
G
torch
axe
medium
21
Cheese-maker
G
Wheel of cheese
bucket
useless, improvised
22
Clerk

paper, quill ink

dagger
light
23
Cobbler
G
bag of tacks
awl
useless, improvised
24
Cook

bag of salt
cleaver
light, improvised
25
Cooper
G
barrel (0 slots)
hammer
light, improvised
26
Dog breeder

cleveryoung dog
whip
light
27
Drunkard

bottle of strong liquor

broken bottle
useless, improvised
28
Dyer
G
3 vials of dye
bag of snails
useless, improvised
29
Farrier
G
3 horseshoes
hammer
light, improvised
30
Felt-maker
G
fine cloak
hammer
light, improvised
31
Fisherman
G
10' net
deboning knife (as dagger)
light
32
Fletcher
G
20 arrows, feathers
bow
ranged
33
Furbisher
G
wooden chair
hammer
light, improvised
34
Gambler

loaded dice (0 slots)

dagger
light
35
Glassblower
G
3 glass bottles
iron pipe
light, improvised
36
Goatherd

live goat (0 slots)

whip
light
37
Gongfarmer
G
sack of nightsoil
shovel
medium, improvised
38
Gravedigger

wooden grave marker

shovel
medium, improvised
39
Hunter

dead rabbit
bow and 20 arrows
ranged
40
Jailer

Manacles
club
light
41
Jeweler
G
wire scraps, bending tools
hammer
light, improvised
42
Leatherworker
G
leather helmet
club
light
43
Link Boy

torch
club
light
44
Mason
G
bag of mortar
hammer
light, improvised
45
Mercer
G
3 fruits, vegitables, or nuts
club
light
46
Midwife

bundle of rags
scalpel
light, improvised
47
Miller
G
bag of flour
club
light
48
Miner
G
lantern
mining pick
heavy, improvised
49
Minstrel
G
lute
rapier
medium
50
Miracle Play Actor
G
disguise kit
wooden sword (as club)
light
51
Needlemaker
G
10 needles
file
useless, improvised
52
Pack Handler
G
donkey (0 slots)
whip
light
53
Painter
G
3 tubes of paint (R,W,B)
club
light
54
Parchment maker
G
parchment, 3 pieces
scraping knife (dagger)
light
55
Parent

3 rations
belt with heavy buckle
useless, improvised
56
Plasterer
G
bucket and brush
club
light
57
Porter
G
wheelbarrow (0 slots)
club
light
58
Potter
G
clay
trowel
useless, improvised
59
Poultry-keeper

2 chickens
bucket
useless, improvised
60
Prostitute
G
makeup kit (disguise kit)
dagger
light
61
Rag Man

bundle of rags
bone dagger
light
62
Rat Catcher

small but vicious dog

club
light
63
Rope-maker
G
30' rope
dagger
light
64
Salter
G
bag of salt
rake
useless, improvised
65
Scullion

clay jug, iron pot

rolling pin
useless, improvised
66
Sculptor
G
3 light chisels (iron spikes)
hammer
light, improvised
67
Servant (Domestic)

livery
club
light
68
Servant (Military)

livery
dagger
light
69
Shepherd

live sheep (0 slots)

crook (as quarterstaff)
medium
70
Shipwright
G
10 sturdy nails
hammer
light, improvised
71
Stonecutter
G
heavy chisel
hammer
light, improvised
72
Swineherd

live pig (0 slots)

quarterstaff
medium
73
Tailor
G
two yards of linen
scissors
useless, improvised
74
Tanner
G
waterproof bag
skinning knife (as dagger)
light
75
Thatcher
G
bundle of reeds
dagger
light
76
Trumpeter

enormous trumpet
sword
medium
77
Weaponsmith
G
metal file
sword
medium
78
Wet Nurse
G
3 cloth diapers
club
light
79
Woodcarver
G
devotional statue
chisel (as dagger)
light
80
Woodcutter
G
bundle of wood
axe
medium
81
Woolwinder
G
bundle of wound wool
club
light
High-Status

82
Alchemist

flask of glue
dagger
light
83
Apothecary
G
nightshade (1d6)
pestle
useless, improvised
84
Architect
G
measuring string (0 slots)
staff (as quarterstaff)
medium
85
Banker
G
set of scales
dagger
light
86
Bookbinder
G
defective book
awl
useless, improvised
87
Bureaucrat

paper, quill ink

club
light
88
Chirurgeon

Needle and thread

bonesaw
light, improvised
89
Clock-maker
G
screwdriver, file
hammer
light, improvised
90
Engineer
G
jar of grease
lead pipe
light, improvised
91
Falconer

glove, trained hawk

hawk (1d4, but startling)
-
92
Goldsmith
G
set of scales
dagger
light
93
Herbalist

"healing" herbs
dagger
light
94
Illustrator

paper, quill ink

club
light
95
Lead Servant

livery, club
whip
light
96
Locksmith
G
lockpick set
dagger
light
97
Poet

book of poetry
dagger
light
98
Sailor
G
50' rope
club
light
99
Storyteller

hand puppets
quarterstaff
medium
100
Tax Collector

lockbox (0 slots)
staff (as quarterstaff)
medium
Guild Professions (marked with a G) require membership in a guild. There are lots of good
articles online that discuss guilds, apprenticeships, and status.

High-Status Professions (82-100) earn double Income. You are also treated better, even as an
apprentice, than most other professions.

Normally, you start with your Professions as a Skill and the item listed. You don't start with the
weapon listed.

You can also use this table for hirelings, for figuring out the identity of a corpse or the contents
of someone's pockets, or to generate Level 0 characters.

Light weapons deal 1d6 damage. Medium weapons deal 1d6 damage if you use one hand, 1d8
damage if you use two hands. Heavy weapons deal 1d8 damage and require two hands.

Improvised weapons deal half damage. Useless weapons deal 1 damage on a crit and no damage
otherwise.