GP Value of Hirelings/Companions

[I'm A Banana]

So, I've got a bit of an idea that I may spring on my group.

Rather than award them directly with magic items and whatnot (they're using Inherent Bonuses -- so easy), I'm thinking of awarding them "companion characters."

Sort of, "Oh, you helped the local elves with their goblin problem, and one has decided to come with you and help you out!"

I'm not sure about what the "treasure value" of a given companion should be. I'm planning on only awarding one adventuring companion at a time (others can stay at home!), and only of a level equal to or less than the party (no, the ancient gold dragon won't go dungeon-crawling with you), but companions add a lot: extra actions, extra skill checks, extra damage/healing/party HP.

OR, should I just ignore their "gp value" and simply up the party's power by giving them a companion on top of their wealth, instead of alternate to their wealth?

 

[Mustrum_Ridcully]

If you think the players have a good use for the wealth if they don't regularly buy magic items (maybe build houses/fortresses and the like), you may just want to add them on top of everything. IN the end, you will need to make minor adjustments to encounters anyway (or at least have in mind that combats may be easier with hirelings and companions.)

You may price a "minion-like" hireling the same as a consumable item, and a hireling like a regular magic item. Is that the best and most sensible value? Maybe not. But it's at hand, and it will limit how much you will give out sensibly, I think. (Especially if you consider that if you want the hirelines et al to "grow" with the PCs, that means they are effetively given as treasure again to accomondate for their new level).

 

[Dice4Hire]

I would let them have a companion for an adventure, which adventure to be named by the characters. I do not think I would charge them gold for the companion, though.

 

[Ryujin]

Count the companion/hireling as a character or half character, depending upon that character's abilities, when calculating your encounter experience point costs. Count the character as a half treasure share, when calculating treasure, and make sure that treasure goes to that character.

 

[LostSoul]

For hirelings I have them charge 1/10th of a RMTP (random monetary treasure parcel) of their level per week of service. (You roll 1d6+4 on the treasure parcel table with the same level as the hireling.) Danger pay will be double that per day.

The idea is that a standard encounter - 5 NPCs of Level X - is worth 1 treasure parcel of Level X in GP rewards. If you want to "hire" that encounter, it'll cost you as much as it did for defeating it.​

*

If you're running a more traditional 4E game, how would you work that out?

Hmm. It'd be better to say that the companion character takes a (monetary) treasure parcel of his level, which should be the party's level, and he hangs out with the party for free until they level up.

After the PCs level up, the companion character can level up and take another (monetary) treasure parcel or he can leave. The PCs can either pay this out of pocket or you just strike off that treasure parcel from their rewards.

You can roll 1d6+4 to determine which treasure parcel he takes.

I'm not sure what you'd do with Essentials' loot system.

Does that make sense? Assume that he's neutralizing one monster of his level per encounter. That means over the course of a whole level - ten encounters with five monsters per - he's neutralized 1/5th of all monsters. There are 10 treasure parcels per level. So he's delivered 2 treasure parcels. However, he might die whereas a magic sword won't break, so one treasure parcel covers that risk.

That sounds okay, I guess.

 

[AbdulAlhazred]

MME and DDI both have the info on hireling costs. This is for 'minion' type hirelings essentially. For a Companion Character the standard rule is they simply count as a member of the party, but they don't get magic items (or need them). They will generally get a share of monetary treasure. While CCs are generally less flexible than a PC they also usually fill in specific weak points, so it generally works out pretty well.

 

[LostSoul]

Look what I found in Dragon 397:

If a henchman’s compensation is monetary, the fee
equals one-fifth of the value of a magic item equal to
the party’s level.​

 

[I'm A Banana]

I'm out of XP to give out, but thanks, everybody, for the help! This will come in very handy.