Retainers

[cZak]

I have a character that took the Noble: Knight background and have the three retainers
Generally, they're active in the game but mostly in the background; performing minor tasks like helping with armor, relaying messages, sounding boards for ideas, etc...
They do not participate in combat

curious how others have utilized this option
I've thought about using Tasha's Sidekick classes to give them more breadth

[Greywander]

Do note that the retainers have certain limitations on them. Namely, they won't participate in combat, or follow you into dangerous areas. I feel like giving them sidekick levels would make this background much, much stronger than most other backgrounds (in the same realm as Ravnica or Strixhaven backgrounds), and you'd probably find it harder to justify enforcing the previously mentioned limitations. But I definitely understand why you'd want to consider this as an option, and if the rest of the table is fine with it then it might be fine.

I did have a character concept that I haven't gotten a chance to play. The character was an evil overlord, a former BBEG who was defeat and as a result lost most of his power. I was going to run him as a Conquest paladin. I wanted to use the retainer feature to give him three goblin lackeys: a mule to keep his things, a scribbler to keep his affairs, and a jester to keep his wits sharp, as well as his backhand (the jester is good at dodging, it was a requirement for the job).

I could definitely see wanting to promote those characters to higher stations, especially once I was able to assemble an army and reconquer my evil domain. At that point, I wouldn't be just a wandering knight with a few squires, but a powerful lord with powerful henchmen. To satisfy the retainer feature, this might mean switching to a new set of retainers that are less experienced, while my old retainers become fully fledged NPCs, but I might like the option of keeping the old retainers while also making them full NPCs.

[Cheesegear]

curious how others have utilized this option

I've treated them as Commoners. Nothing more.

When the party goes on a five-day trek into the wilderness and a further dungeon-crawl ('The retainers will not follow you into dangerous situations.'), those Commoners are acting out their lives in whatever town the party left them in. Over time, these Commoners gain skills and proficiencies in tool kits, and can begin performing actual mechanical tasks, rather than narrative ones. Then, the retainers get rotated out, as they become real people with wives and lives. But narratively, they remember that the Noble was their patron for a long time, and helped them get set up.

This feeds into the idea that the players are part of the world, rather than separate from it. As their actions directly change peoples' lives - and they see the effect of their actions. Worldbuilding. It's a thing.

The Noble then gets new Commoners. Just as if they'd died in a town riot - it happened. You have three retainers. If they leave or die, you get new ones. How? Why? That's up to the player and DM. After the riot, the Knight picked up two 'refugees' from the town, and off they went. New characters with new stories.

I have had the third of those Commoners become a Sidekick as a result of the riot...The Noble gets a new Commoner and I gain control of the Sidekick who becomes a member of the party with full loot and XP shares. The character gains another town refugee.

Two retainers died and one 'ascended' to an (DM)PC. The character still has three Commoners, as part of his mechanics, because that's the rules.


I've thought about using Tasha's Sidekick classes to give them more breadth

As above, the second that happens, they are no longer retainers. But (DM)PCs in their own right.

Three Commoners who don't fight for or with you - sometimes they don't even follow you - is not a mechanical advantage. Having three Sidekicks directly tied to your character with character levels, multiple proficiencies, each, becomes a massive advantage, even if they don't fight in combat.

[cZak]

I've treated them as Commoners. Nothing more.

When the party goes on a five-day trek into the wilderness and a further dungeon-crawl ('The retainers will not follow you into dangerous situations.'), those Commoners are acting out their lives in whatever town the party left them in. Over time, these Commoners gain skills and proficiencies in tool kits, and can begin performing actual mechanical tasks, rather than narrative ones. Then, the retainers get rotated out, as they become real people with wives and lives. But narratively, they remember that the Noble was their patron for a long time, and helped them get set up.

This feeds into the idea that the players are part of the world, rather than separate from it. As their actions directly change peoples' lives - and they see the effect of their actions. Worldbuilding. It's a thing.

The Noble then gets new Commoners. Just as if they'd died in a town riot - it happened. You have three retainers. If they leave or die, you get new ones. How? Why? That's up to the player and DM. After the riot, the Knight picked up two 'refugees' from the town, and off they went. New characters with new stories.

Very cool application

I 'use' my retainers more for step-n-fetch type applications; approach authority figures for meetings, shopping, arrange services (blacksmith, inns, etc...)
But was thinking they might get better at the tasks assigned over time (level). Improved Investigation, Persuasion, or develop natural abilities (Wood elf magic feat)

I do not want them being combatants. That just adds complexity to the game I don't want to impose on the group.
Their advancement would be strictly in aspects of pillars of Exploration & RP

[Cheesegear]

But was thinking they might get better at the tasks assigned over time (level). Improved Investigation, Persuasion, or develop natural abilities (Wood elf magic feat)

Why do anything? Just get your Retainers to do it. Next stop; A party of 5 Knights with 15 Retainers. The DM said the Retainers can just have all the non-combat Skills we don't.


Their advancement would be strictly in aspects of pillars of Exploration & RP

So the players don't have to explore or do RP? I mean, yes. If the goal is to take the spotlight away from the players and put it on one player's Background feature, lol, do that.

The way you've got it sorted is what I said:
At your table, 'Knight' is probably the single-best Background feature there is, because it gives the party three Sidekicks, and you'd be actually dumb not to take Knight as your Background.


TL;DR. Don't give Retainers levels. If you give them levels, they're not Retainers anymore. The end.

[KyleG]

I was thinking of reflavouring them as a bards band members.