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Message: <blockquote data-quote="R_Chance" data-source="post: 7753086" data-attributes="member: 55149">Arghh. You could die of old age going through all the relevant books on Henchmen / Hirelings / Retainers. I stuck to 4 different editions (original, 1E, 2E, and Rules Cyclopedia). I looked in the 3 LBBs of the original game and supplements, the Players Handbooks and DMGs of 1E and 2E, and the Rules Cyclopedia.Kind of how I remember it, with some surprises...Dungeons and Dragons (The Original Game, 1974): There are “special hirelings” (or just “Hirelings”), with numbers limited by Charisma. This does not include Mercenaries etc. or Specialists that can be employed if you have a Stronghold. These Hirelings are of the “lowest level” (1st I assume). Higher level characters / monsters may be brought into service if captured and then bribed etc. I didn’t note any real changes to this in the supplements (Greyhawk etc.).Advanced Dungeons and Dragons (1E, 1978):There are Hirelings (Alchemists, Blacksmiths, Men-at-Arms, Teamsters, etc.)  Essentially employees. Money is the limit on them. Henchmen are permanent retainers / “more or less devoted followers”. They are “always of a character race and character class, but are never player characters”. Mostly acquired as level 1; possibly level 2 (10% chance if 6th level plus PC) or 2-3rd level (25% / 25% if 11th level + PC). Limited number, by Charisma. Captured characters may be propositioned; but only those 3 levels plus under the PC will go for any length of time it otherwise being a temporary situation. Henchmen get support, shares of treasure and experience (50% experience because they are “acting under direction”).   Advanced Dungeons and Dragons 2nd Edition (2E, 1989):Pretty much as 1E. Additionally a Henchmen should always be lower level than the PC. If he is equal (or higher) he leaves to make his own way (although he may still be friendly to the PC).Rules Cyclopedia (Basic D&D, 1991): The final incarnation of Basic D&D. The term “Retainers” is subbed for Henchmen. They are limited in number by Charisma. This does not include mercenaries, Stronghold Servitors, Specialists etc. Retainers are “sometimes known as hirelings” and are always NPCs run by the DM (unlike previous games). Retainers gain experience as players do.This is rough. I might have missed something, but hey this took long enough <img src="https://cdn.jsdelivr.net/joypixels/assets/8.0/png/unicode/64/1f642.png" class="smilie smilie--emoji" loading="lazy" width="64" height="64" alt=":)" title="Smile    :)"  data-smilie="1"data-shortname=":)" />*edit* I know there are other types (i.e. "Followers", etc.), but this is just the typical Henchmen / Hireling bit. The classed / important Henchmen, and the zero level NPC Hireling types.</blockquote>

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