Henchmen, Followers, Cohorts and Companions

[painandgreed]

Much of our tendency to run two characters, besides duplicating roles in the party, was out of having a back up in case one got killed. One was normally the primary character while the other was the back up that was being played up from 1st level. We just never saw that many Raise Deads back then.

 

[Drowbane]

I've always been a fan of the "War Band" style party.

 

[interwyrm]

I prefer roleplaying one character, but commanding several in combat. Another possibility is switching out characters to roleplay. I tend to get bored sticking with one character all the time for everything.

 

[frankthedm]

I prefer roleplaying one character, but commanding several in combat.

Same here. One big problem is that in 3e the challenges that matter to PC, tend to wipe out friendly units very quickly. Notably the very large area effect spells like fireball.

 

[Drowbane]

...One big problem is that in 3e the challenges that matter to PC, tend to wipe out friendly units very quickly. Notably the very large area effect spells like fireball.

I agree, however this isn't exactly a new problem.

edit: or really a problem, for that matter.

 

[haakon1]

Usually one PC per player, but two is not a problem.

There also usually other "lesser" characters of some sort along with the parties.

Group I'm playing in: 6 players with 1 PC per player, no minions of any sort, PC's "disappear" in the middle of the adventure if the player doesn't show up (usually 1-2 missing each session).

Group I'm running on email: 3 players with "just" one PC, 1 player with a PC and a familiar, 1 player with a PC and an animal companion, 1 DMPC/NPC, 1 player with 2 PC's. All characters always active, even if the player is on vacation or whatever (DM moves them along with the party decisions if necessary).

Group I'm running live: 4 players with 1 PC each, plus one player also running Meepo and 3 rescued kobold prisoner spearmen, who amazingly just won't die!

In the past I've seen henchmen in AD&D and a cohort in 3e. They don't seem to last long -- either the primary player gets bored and "sets them free" or they get killed off, perhaps "taking one for the boss". :\

 

[papastebu]

The only time we ever drug anyone else around was in bizarre situations like wands of wonder and decks of many things summoning a henchman/minion whatever, and he/she/it stuck around. The DM started out playing him, the first time, but we all took turns after awhile. The fun part of changing who played the henchman was when his alignment would visibly change when he went to a new player. If he was hanging with the thief, then he started to act a bit larcenous. Following the fighter made him aggressive, but noble. I think he fell afoul of a pit-trap or something, after about 8 or nine months of tagging along.
In other games, most notably Ars Magica, it was understood that there would be a supporting cast, and that everyone would probably have to play a few characters, but we also got to switch around with those, and each person's magus was the only one that no-one else could play.

 

[Imp]

Aw, come on, hirelings make excellent redshirts! "Oh, so that's what the purple thing does. It sucks out your brain with his tentacles. Thanks, Elfingston! Your sacrifice will be long remembered." Plus, wouldn't you rather the enemy mage dump a fireball on you and your band of pikemen earning 10 gold a day than a save-or-crap on the party's barbarian?

But it has usually been maybe a 2:1 PC/hench ratio max, in my experience. Even in AD&D it was like, I have all this money, I'll hire a hench! Good henchman. Hmmm. You'll get yourself killed too quick. Tell you what, you watch the castle while I go fundraising.

 

[MerricB]

Orcs make great redshirts in the Tomb of Horrors.

Cheers!

 

[Philotomy Jurament]

I like one PC, but I like having men-at-arms or henchmen, too. So one PC + NPCs, rather than multiple PCs. The difference being I can give commands/suggestions to the NPCs, but there's no guarantee that they'll follow them all the time (makes high Cha very useful, too).

As a DM, I always recommend NPCs, especially for low-level parties. I don't let players abuse the NPCs, though -- doing that is a fast-track to having a "mutiny" on your hands (of course, high-level and evil PCs might get away with it). The NPCs often become beloved characters, and are also a source for new PCs that don't disrupt verisimilitude in the case of PC death, new players joining, et cetera.