D&D 5E Assassins, Spies, and Support Personel

[Paul Farquhar]

While I agree with the sentiment in your statement, it is also not difficult to "write in a new character" into a story.

It depends where you are. If you happen to be on level 27 of the Pit of Infinite Levels when you hit level 16 then "writing someone in" may not make sense.

It's much easer to write someone in when that someone becomes plot-relevant, rather than when a certain character hits a certain level.

 

[MNblockhead]

How's this?

My reputation rules are below.

It is a bit off topic because retainers/followers in my game are handled by the rules in Matt Coleville's Strongholds & Followers book.

Spoiler: Reputation Rules

Reputational Rules

1. Renown​

1.1. Gaining Renown​

There are a number of ways you can gain renown.

1.1.1. Training to Level Up​

If you roll well in your rolls to train to level up, you can gain up to two renown points.

1.1.2. Downtime Activity​

You can gain renown as a downtime activity per the DMG.

A character can spend downtime improving his or her renown within a particular organization.... Between adventures, a character undertakes minor tasks for the organization and socializes with its members. After pursuing these activities for a combined number of days equal to his or her current renown multiplied by 10, the character’s renown increases by 1.

1.1.3. Completing Assignments and Secret Missions​

As you gain renown, the organization may give you assignments or secret missions. Completing these can earn you 1 or 2 renown points depending upon their difficulty.

1.1.4. Milestone Achievements​

Some activities are so heroic and high profile that the PC earns renown even if it was not due to an assignment or secret mission.

1.2. Using Renown​

Renown can be used in two ways

1.2.1. Call in a Favor​

If you need help from an organization, you can spend renown points to get bonuses on persuasion and intimidation attempts to get the organization to honor your request. Here is how it works:

1. The PC must have at least 1 renown to call in a favor with an organization.
2. The player describes what is being requested (e.g. a loan; use of a magic item; information; obtaining membership, certain ranks, leadership roles, or even control of the organization, etc.)
3. The GM will assign a DC from 5 to 30, depending upon the nature of the request.
4. The player needs to spend at least one renown to call in the favor. For each renown spent, the player gets a +1 bonus to the roll, which stacks on top of any applicable proficiency.
5. The renown used to call in the favor is permanently lost.
   

1.2.2. Earn Boon Dice​

Every time a character levels up, it can roll an organization die to acquire a boons from the organization the PC has renown with. The organizational die is determined by the number of renown. Round down the number of renown to the nearest die type.

NUMBER OF RENOWN	ORGANIZATION DIE
1-5	d4
6-7	d6
8-9	d8
10-11	d10
12-19	d12
20-29	d20
30+	d30

1.2.3. Using Boon Dice​

You can roll an organization die for a boon by:

1.2.3.1. Leveling Up​

Every time your character levels up, you get a free roll for a boon for each organization you have renown with.

1.2.3.2. Spending renown​

You can spend a renown to roll an organization die. You will roll an organization die based upon the renown you have AFTER spending the renown point. E.g. if you have 6 renown and spend one to roll for a boon (leaving you with 5 renown), you roll a d4, not a d6.

Lucky Feat - you can spend a luck point to roll the organization die twice and choose which roll you want to use. You can to choose before the DM explains the results of the roll.

Inspiration - you can use inspiration to reroll the organization die.

Portent - you can use a portent value rather than roll the organization die. The value, however, can never be higher than the highest possible value of the organization die. Example: if your portant value is 16 and your organization die is a d6, the organizational die roll will be considered a 6.

2. Infamy​

Infamy is the inverse of renown. Infamy represents how disliked you are by an organization.

2.1. How Infamy is Earned​

Infamy is earned either as part of a complication arising out of a downtime activity or by actions of the players that upset an organization.

2.2. How Infamy is Used​

Every time a character levels up, the player must roll an organization die to acquire a bane from the organization the PC has infamy with. The organizational die is determined by the number of infamy points. Round down the number of renown to the nearest die type (see table in boon dice section, above).

2.3. Reducing Infamy​

A character can reduce its infamy in an organization by acquiring renown. Each renown earned will decrease infamy by one, but the renown is also lost. Once infamy is reduced to zero, only then can renown with the organization accumulate.

 

[doctorbadwolf]

I must admit I’m surprised at some of the reactions. I wonder how many people allow/make use of the retainers in the Retainers background feature.

 

[Paul Farquhar]

I must admit I’m surprised at some of the reactions. I wonder how many people allow/make use of the retainers in the Retainers background feature.

I've never seen a player choose the "noble" background.

I think players are more inclined to see "retainers" as liabilities, rather than assets. What use would you expect players to make of them?

"Contacts", on the other hand, are seen as extremely useful.

 

[Oofta]

I've never seen a player choose the "noble" background.

I think players are more inclined to see "retainers" as liabilities, rather than assets. What use would you expect players to make of them?

"Contacts", on the other hand, are seen as extremely useful.

We had a guy that took the noble background and then abused it, making his retainers into what were effectively sidekicks. Since we already had a 6 person table, it was completely unnecessary and just his way of trying to hog the spotlight even more than he normally did. Part of it was a problem with an individual that just wanted to be the center of everything since he also abused his relationship with his patron and assumed he could just ask his god (cleric/warlock) anything and they would give him a clear answer for anything he wanted.

So part of it was the player, but I could see this feature being easily abused.

 

[Paul Farquhar]

I think that's the sort of situation where the breath weapon of a passing dragon comes in very useful...