Hacking 2e: Hirelings, Followers, and Henchmen – Part 2

Last week, I reworked these NPCs into a single category: Followers, with a subcategory of ‘Sworn Followers’. This week, I’ll work on experience and leveling rules, administration mechanics, and a final ruleset.

Hacking 2e: Hirelings, Followers, and Henchmen – Part 1

My players really like henchmen. I think all players do, even if it’s not coded into the game. The trope of the adopted goblin in the party exists because players love to make an NPC their own. The henchman is that concept on steroids. You’re telling the players “not only will this NPC tag along, they’re specifically your NPC, if you can keep them.” Once my group figured this out, they started trying to recruit everyone they met.

Before we really get into this, I want to share a very cool resource with you:

Meatshields! The Classic Fantasy Hireling & Henchman Generator

You gotta love a good generator. This one, obviously, makes people of the hench persuasion.

Anyway.

In 2e, these tag-along NPCs are broken into three groups: Hirelings, Followers, and Henchmen. Let’s look at each.