I found the rules for hirelings to be a bit sparse, so I've expanded on them with a big list of different hirelings, their pay, how to build them and the DC to hire them. The rules are here..
A couple of the pays may be WTF while the DC modifiers should range from +15 to -15. But other than that I'd be interested to hear if people find them useful.
I'd be interested in seeing rules for levelling up hirelings (a level 20 character hiring tougher caravan guards, for example), but that all looks good. I plan to use some of those rules in my games from now on.
I like it, though I was hoping for some additional militant hirelings. Mercenaries or the like. Guards, Captain of the Guard, or watchmen.
JohnLynch wrote:
Looks good to me, although it seems a little *too* in-depth for my purposes. Honestly, I'd just allow them to hire NPCs with stats given for things like Guard/Mage/whatever in the Monster Manual. For higher level stuff, just bump up their HP/damage a bit and give them proficiency in skills that make sense. Good work, though. I'm sure a lot of people will be using this 
Thanks everyone for the feedback.
OrwellianHaggis wrote:
Here's a rough draft on my current henchmen rules for creating henchmen fighters using the NPC fighter class.
Ability scores for henchmen can be generated by spending 18 points, an array or by rolling (no standard roll method will generate an 18 point array though).
Warrior
Starting hit points: 2d8
Hit points after level 1: 1d8
Armour proficiencies: Light, medium and heavy Armour and shields.
Weapon Proficiencies: All simple and martial weapons.
Ability Bonus: At level 4, 6, 8, 12, 14, 16 and 19 you gain a +2 to a single ability score or +1 to two ability scores up to a maximum of 20 in any given ability score.
Extra Attack: At level 5 you may make 2 attacks as an action. This increases to 3 attacks at level 11 and 4 attacks at level 20.
Saving Throws: At level 6 you gain proficiency in strength and constitution saves.
Feats:
Fighting Style
Pre-requisite: Level 1 warrior
Benefit: You gain training in a single fighting style
Healing Wind
Pre-requisite: Level 1 warrior
Benefit: As an action you regain hit points equal to 1d10+warrior level. Once used you must take a short or long rest before you can use this healing wind again.
Novice Martial Training
Pre-requisite: Level 3 warrior
Benefit: You select a single martial archetype. You gain the 3rd level ability of that archetype.
Apprentice Martial Training
Pre-requisite: Level 7 warrior, Initiate Martial Training
Benefit: You gain the 7th level ability of your martial archetype.
Adept Martial Training
Pre-requisite: Level 10 warrior, Initiate Martial Training
Benefit: You gain the 10th level ability of your martial archetype.
Journeyman Martial Training
Pre-requisite: Level 10 warrior, Initiate Martial Training
Benefit: You gain the 10th level ability of your martial archetype.
Advanced Martial Training
Pre-requisite: Level 15 warrior, Initiate Martial Training
Benefit: You gain the 15th level ability of your martial archetype.
Master Martial Training
Pre-requisite: Level 18 warrior, Initiate Martial Training
Benefit: You gain the 18th level ability of your martial archetype.
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These rules are designed to ensure that henchmen are not at the same power level as PCs. DMPCs have often been problematic for groups and so these rules are designed to avoid that (if it's not an issue at your table you could easily consider using the core PHB classes). I feel I've achieved this by making DMs choose between class features, feats or stat boosters.
The warrior class is also designed to provide the flavour of a class while providing a lot less complexity. That's why the so called "simple fighter" is even simpler using these rules.
After working on it a bit more I think using this structure for Wizards and other casters could be the way to go as while their challenge level may not match, this is designed to create PC allies and not PC foes. Calculating the challenge level will still be required as an additional step if you want to use these rules to create foes for PCs.
The current plan is to provide the following NPC classes: Warrior, Mage, Thief, Priest. Other classes (e.g. bards, paladins and barbarians) can be reproduced via feats and multiclassing. Warlocks could be a bit tricky and may not be possible without it's own separate class.
I'll post them on my blog in the upcoming weeks
I like this very much, it's along the lines of what I was thinking of, but don't have the math skills to balance. Well done, I'll definitely use these rules in my upcoming game. I'll post the results here when we play: I've made a level 20 character who is going to hire three mooks to help her fight a pit fiend.
I think you are making it quite a bit too complicated there. I don't think a 2 page list of various professions is really needed.
Plus, the real difference in cost ought not to be so much the profession as much as the skill of the individual in question.
Hebitsuikaza wrote:
JohnLynch wrote: