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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Lanefan" data-source="post: 5790245" data-attributes="member: 29398">One thing I think has been sadly left behind as the edition numbers have climbed - and not even mentioned here yet, unless I missed something - is the idea that the actual PC adventurers are not necessarily the whole adventuring party.0-1-2e had Henches - associate adventurers whose duties ranged anywhere from baggage carrier and crossbow prop to adventurer-in-training to actual filler of a minor party role e.g. the 85 h.p. Fighter hires a hench Cleric whose sole job is to patch her up between battles.  To some extent this reflected real-life adventuring: sure Hillary was the first to climb Everest but he doesn't get there without a team of associate climbers and Sherpa guides/porters.0-1-2e also assumed pack animals were available (and thus used) to carry stuff; leading to the legendary donkeyhorse.3e had the cohort, but only for those who took Leadership as a feat.  Not a bad idea except that it doesn't take much for the cohort to catch or - in cases of bad PC luck - even surpass the level of her "boss"; which seems a bit odd.  I'm not sure if 3e still kept henches as well; the version I played had 'em but they may have been houseruled in.4e seems to have done away with "extras" in the party completely, at least from what I've seen...someone can and will correct me here if I'm wrong.Should these return for 5e?  I say yes, henches should be among the most basic of options (if not right in core) with guidelines for how to play them, pay them, etc.; with 3e-style cohorts being a more esoteric option except replace the feat requirement with a need for a decent (say, 14+) Charisma.As for pack animals - at the very least put them in the basic equipment list and give some indication of their payload; those who want to use them can figure it out from there.Thoughts, all?Lanefan</blockquote>

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