5e Henchmen Rules

[Estrillian]

When I started my current 5E campaign I adapted the BECMI henchmen rules and allowed my players to have secondary Henchmen characters. However I managed to produce something over-complex enough that they rarely take advantage of it. Worse I gave the first Henchman class levels (he's a Ranger) which has effectively made him another PC (so I have 3 players with 1 PC and 1 with 2). Since that time I've come to the conclusion that 5E makes most sense if class levels are a special thing that describes PCs only, so I don't want Henchmen to have Class Levels.

So I'm looking to design a simpler Henchmen system, and thought I might post my ideas here to see if there is any useful input.

Draft Henchmen Rules

Basic Rules

Any character with a Charisma of at least 10 can have one or more Henchmen. (Characters of low charisma just can't persuade people to fight and die for them effectively). Henchmen are subsidiary characters that you can control (though the DM can take control of your Henchmen if he feels that you are working against their interests).

You can have a number of Henchmen up to your Charisma Bonus, with a minimum of 1.

Henchmen are chosen from the standard NPC monsters. Eligible Henchmen include: Bandit, Thug, Bandit Captain, Acolyte etc. An individual Henchman might have slightly different Ability scores, proficiencies or weapon types if it fits the fiction. A Henchman has a Bond, Goal and Flaw like a PC.

The total CR of your Henchmen cannot exceed 1/4 of your level.

Loyalty

Each of your Henchmen has a Loyalty score. A Henchman's initial Loyalty is equal to half your Charisma, rounding down. Individual Henchmen might have slightly different starting loyalties if that makes sense. e.g. a shady bandit might have -2 starting loyalty, while an eager squire might have +2.

The Loyalty score of a Henchman measures their degree of trust and faith in you. Low Loyalty Henchmen will not risk themselves for you, and may rob or betray you if it suits their alignment. High Loyalty Henchmen feel a strong bond with you, and will go into deadly encounters, or get themselves hurt to protect you.

Each time a Henchman experiences some special success, such as surviving a heroic battle, achieving a goal or bond, or being rewarded with a significant piece of treasure, their Loyalty increases by 1d4.

Each time a Henchman suffers something very bad, such as being reduced to 0 HP, being abandoned by the party, being involved in a rout or being stinted on pay or treasure, their Loyalty decreases by 1d4. In addition, roll a D20. If the result is greater than their Loyalty score they abandon you and stop being your Henchman. If their currently Loyalty is 15+ when they do so then they leave on good terms. If their Loyalty is 5 or less then they betray you if possible. Otherwise they just pack up and make their goodbyes as quickly as possible.

Pay

Henchmen are usually paid, either with a regular wage, or with a share of your treasure. A standard rate is that each Henchman gets a half share of all treasure you find. Alternatively you could choose to pay your Henchmen a wage, but you will need to do so regardless of whether they are actively doing anything in a given session or not. A suitable wage for most Henchman would be 2gp a day when not in service and 4gp a day when they are. Not paying your Henchmen will lower their Loyalty.

Henchman Upgrades

Henchmen can gain in experience and ability as PCs can, but at a slower rate. If, when you gain a new level, the total CR of your Henchmen is below your maximum, you can choose to upgrade one or more of them, provided you stay with in the 1/4 Level limits. Henchmen can upgrade by switching to a new base NPC template. Appropriate upgrade paths might be :



Thugs

Bandit (1/8), Thug (1/2), Bandit Captain (2), Veteran (3), Gladiator (5)

Soldiers

Guard (1/8), Thug (1/2), Knight (3) / Veteran (3), Gladiator (5)

Agents

Scout (1/2), Spy (1), Veteran (3), Assassin (8)

Religious

Cultist (1/8), Acolyte (1/4), Priest (2)

Spellcasters

Cultist (1/8), Cult Fanatic (2), Mage (6)


One thing I am not sure about is the XP cost of fighting with Henchmen. In my old system, where Henchmen had levels, they got a 1/2 share of XP, but that is fiddly and not meaningful for Henchmen who are using MM stats. Should Henchmen lower the XP reward you get? After all they make combat easier. Maybe a flat -5% XP for each Henchman? Or should that be -10%? I'm not sure.

[NewDM]

What about the hireling system in the DMG?

[Thrudd]

Instead of creating a whole new subsystem, I think it makes more sense that players can't attract parmanent henchmen/followers until they are sufficiently high level. For 5e, I think 5th level is probably the minimum where henchmen should come in, since leveling up to 4th goes so quickly. Charisma dictates how many henchmen and what their morale is. They are always 1st level, and are expected to get half a share of xp and treasure (each one counts as half a PC). They always need to be at least two levels behind their leader, and any xp that would put them over that limit is lost, they stay 1 xp away from leveling up until their leader goes up a level, and can then start gaining normally again. Otherwise, they mechanically function just as PCs with class levels and abilities, and can be controlled by the players in combat, unless their morale breaks.

[Estrillian]

What about the hireling system in the DMG?

I didn't find it that satisfying basically. I am afb at the moment, but I seem to remember it revolving around hirelings that don't significantly impact combat? I could be mis-remembering.

[Estrillian]

Instead of creating a whole new subsystem, I think it makes more sense that players can't attract parmanent henchmen/followers until they are sufficiently high level. For 5e, I think 5th level is probably the minimum where henchmen should come in, since leveling up to 4th goes so quickly. Charisma dictates how many henchmen and what their morale is. They are always 1st level, and are expected to get half a share of xp and treasure (each one counts as half a PC). They always need to be at least two levels behind their leader, and any xp that would put them over that limit is lost, they stay 1 xp away from leveling up until their leader goes up a level, and can then start gaining normally again. Otherwise, they mechanically function just as PCs with class levels and abilities, and can be controlled by the players in combat, unless their morale breaks.

Well that's roughly where I started, but allowing loads of PC-like extra characters has three issues for me.

1. World Building : PC abilities seem to me like they should be unique. If you assume a world filled with PC class characters (especially wizards) you get something that looks nothing like the default D&D world (e.g. it is full of mass teleport transportation, golem armies, simulacrum chains etc.). If you are playing in Eberron, say, then it might not be so bad, but I've been making the assumption that the only people who mechanically function like the PCs *are* the PCs.

2. Consistency : All the published adventures treat NPCs as those MM types, why should player hirelings be somehow different?

3. Ease of use : We've already tried having hirelings with class levels and it is too much for my players to control easily, and bogs down their turns. It is sort of the like 3.5 multiple-summons issue. One of my reasons for looking at a different approach is to get things that are easier to run in combat and which don't steal limelight from player abilities.

[Mjolnirbear]

Well that's roughly where I started, but allowing loads of PC-like extra characters has three issues for me.

1. World Building : PC abilities seem to me like they should be unique. If you assume a world filled with PC class characters (especially wizards) you get something that looks nothing like the default D&D world (e.g. it is full of mass teleport transportation, golem armies, simulacrum chains etc.). If you are playing in Eberron, say, then it might not be so bad, but I've been making the assumption that the only people who mechanically function like the PCs *are* the PCs.

2. Consistency : All the published adventures treat NPCs as those MM types, why should player hirelings be somehow different?

3. Ease of use : We've already tried having hirelings with class levels and it is too much for my players to control easily, and bogs down their turns. It is sort of the like 3.5 multiple-summons issue. One of my reasons for looking at a different approach is to get things that are easier to run in combat and which don't steal limelight from player abilities.

If I may pimp someone else's work?

https://docs.google.com/document/d/19_9zrxArn9bgWlKitr_uSYsID5mJ6ZahC2t2zScNEp4/edit?pref=2&pli=1

This system turned henchmen into PC abilities. In exchange for not having seperate attacks, acting as meat shields, or needing to account for their movement or stats, they become 'part' of the PC--they stack in his space, and grant the PC abilities.

It simplifies things a great deal, prevents henchmen from being overwhelming, and makes them interesting.

The current cards are all the NPCs and mounts from Out of the Abyss. If you want to create new henchmen, you can start with one ability each, basing it from the current examples. Then when they gain loyalty (using the loyalty system in the DMG) they gain a second ability. The third ability is given based on inspiration.

[NewDM]

I didn't find it that satisfying basically. I am afb at the moment, but I seem to remember it revolving around hirelings that don't significantly impact combat? I could be mis-remembering.

Not really. The only thing it says is they are rarely important in an adventure. Other than that they can do whatever. The DM controls them. There is even an optional loyalty system that can be used to determine if they stay on or demand higher pay, or throw their lives away for the party. It starts at half the average party members charisma score and goes up or down based on its goals and how its treated, and how the party acts in accordance to its alignment. If it reaches 0, it leaves or betrays the party. If it is 10 or above its willing to sacrifice itself for the party. It maxes at 20.

Hirelings are listed in the equipment section of the PHB as costing 2gp a day for a skilled hireling and 2cp a day for an unskilled one. One of the examples of hirelings in the PHB is "Mercenary soldiers paid to help the adventurers take on a hobgoblin army are hirelings, as are sages hired to research ancient or esoteric lore."

So if I were creating a system as you are, I'd start with the rules in the Player's Handbook and Dungeon Master's Guide and go from there. If you randomly roll a background for each hireling complete with ideals, bonds, alignment and all of that, you can keep track of the loyalty of each hireling and have them act accordingly. If they are mistreated or constantly in danger then they might run away when fighting starts or looks to be going badly.

[Estrillian]

So if I were creating a system as you are, I'd start with the rules in the Player's Handbook and Dungeon Master's Guide and go from there. If you randomly roll a background for each hireling complete with ideals, bonds, alignment and all of that, you can keep track of the loyalty of each hireling and have them act accordingly. If they are mistreated or constantly in danger then they might run away when fighting starts or looks to be going badly.

Well I did do that. That's where the Loyalty system I included comes from. And the pay rates - I doubled the generally non-on-scree-fighting rate of 2gp a day to 4gp a day.

[Vogonjeltz]

So I'm looking to design a simpler Henchmen system, and thought I might post my ideas here to see if there is any useful input.

I think you are overcomplicating things for yourself.

First ask, What is the purpose of this Henchperson? Are they a follower or apprentice? Are they a hireling for a specific purpose?
a) For NPCs that are there because they want to follow the player around (i.e. Wizard apprentice, Paladin squire, etc...) then I'd say it's appropriate to create a low level PC.
b) For mere hirelings, where the players just want some extra muscle or whatever, just use the appropriate guard/mercenary NPC template from appendix B. You might create a list of potential hires, roll a d20 to see who approaches the PCs (or who they approach) and then do a persuasion check from the PCs to see just how much the hire asks for. Alternatively, use the Services menu on 159 of the PHB. Examples given are mercenaries, so it's normative to be able to hire mercs (albeit at a rate low level PCs are unlikely or unable to easily afford for long).

Instead of creating a mechanical background, just organically roleplay out the experience (the PC says they want to hire on some help, ask them how they want to go about that, maybe they go to the local inn or adventurer's/explorer's guild, trading coster, etc..., they get to meet some NPCs, see how they like the personalities and pick someone they actually want along for the ride.)

[Estrillian]

@Vogonjeltz your suggestion is well made, of course. There must be a proper story place for these Henchmen. They don't just turn up, they are met, recruited, employed, and have feelings and goals. I take that as read.

But I'm not sure why that means not having a system. What you suggest in (b) really sounds like what I wrote in the first post, but with some of the crunch taken out. I happen to like crunch, so I want a system with a little more mechanics to it, hence the Loyalty score (also in the DMG) and some idea of how Loyalty changes, plus something to prevent low level parties handing all their fighting to higher CR Henchmen.

[DanyBallon]

If I may pimp someone else's work?

https://docs.google.com/document/d/19_9zrxArn9bgWlKitr_uSYsID5mJ6ZahC2t2zScNEp4/edit?pref=2&pli=1



+1 for this system, it's less cumbersome than using fully fleshed NPCs, yet let you develop backstory for these henchmen.

[Estrillian]

+1 for this system, it's less cumbersome than using fully fleshed NPCs, yet let you develop backstory for these henchmen.

Yes. I'm not sure I would like to use this for the current game I am running, but it is an elegant system.

[Estrillian]

Edit: IMO, unless your number of players is really small, if you don't need the ability for players to be in two places at once in your campaign, you don't need Henchmen in a game of 5e. I did need the ability for players to be in two places at once, since I'm running a very large sandbox with sessions happening simultaneously in-game at times, and sometimes locking characters into a specific location for several sessions.

Yes, I only have 3 players, which was one of the reasons for needing the Henchmen in the first place

[Vogonjeltz]

@Vogonjeltz your suggestion is well made, of course. There must be a proper story place for these Henchmen. They don't just turn up, they are met, recruited, employed, and have feelings and goals. I take that as read.

But I'm not sure why that means not having a system. What you suggest in (b) really sounds like what I wrote in the first post, but with some of the crunch taken out. I happen to like crunch, so I want a system with a little more mechanics to it, hence the Loyalty score (also in the DMG) and some idea of how Loyalty changes, plus something to prevent low level parties handing all their fighting to higher CR Henchmen.

Yeah, I guess I got bogged down looking at the upgrading and the charisma bonus determining the number hirable and it seemed like a lot of tracking work on your part. If you're enjoying the mechanics, I don't want to try and dissuade you from that.

In games with only 3 players, I find having a DMPC is often justified. We've handled that by having the party give them guidelines or orders in situations that the DM then carries out, roleplaying the characters actions, etc... They also can act as the source for DM hints by acting as the mouthpiece for the DM opinion on a situation, etcetera in a non-immersion breaking way.