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View Full Version : Doublepost? (moderators please delete) :)



Jon_Dahl
2010-02-12, 01:59 AM
I have a dilemma right now and I need some advice:
3rd-level PC's have hired a 2nd-level warrior to fight for them. They pay him well. But the thing is that this warrior really makes a world of difference to them!

According to DMG hirelings gain no XP and are not a part of any calculations about party level. So... if this guy slays and slays in the frontline, he gets 0 XP? And this is not even the main question. The main question is that do the players get full XP for every encounter? I'm slightly disappointed because this should be heroic fantasy, but by paying triple hazard pay and rolling decent diplomacy rolls PC's could convince a small private army to go with them and still gain XP, because they are still modest low-level group (hirelings don't count). And how can getting paid make you unable to gain XP if you fight and you are a warrior?

This brings me an idea: PC's are hired as mercenaries by a wealthy NPC-mercenary. So for the whole adventure they don't get any XP :) PC's can be hirelings too!

LurkerInPlayground
2010-02-12, 03:37 AM
A) Getting hirelings at low levels is actually clever, and was how D&D used to be played to offset the high lethality of low levels.

B) Punishing PC's by making them mercenaries that get no XP is just plain vindicative.

C) The no XP gain is an abstraction to keep the spotlight on the PC's, so that they cannot depend on the warrior forever, who will likely want to move on with his generous pay, once all is said and done. (Of course, you could just make him a longterm NPC if they get attached and give him XP. Being upgraded from a no-name to a PC friend.)