Thoughts on hirelings, and how to do them well?
What sets apart a hireling from a DMPC?
>>47751852
The players in the typical roleplaying game are already better than the normal person... so all you have to do for hireling is make them normal people. They're not the heroes because they're too incompetent, cowardly, weak,or have an actual sense of self-preservationect. A DMPC is a DM character who's actually on par with the players. A hireling is just meant to be some schmuck normie the party paid to do something for them.
>>47752046
This.
>>47751852
PC class levels.
>>47752046
>>47751852
This. I love hiring normies to carry my stuff, watch my and water my horses, cook my meals, and follow me around so I look important.
Don't know how parties survive without noncombat mooks.
>>47752086
No, that's what sets hirelings apart from henchmen, or cohorts. Hirelings are generally 0-level Fighters, while henchmen and cohorts are level 1 or higher. Read your old D&D, anon.
DMPCs, on the other hand, are the DM's very own special Gary Stu, who's just too cool to be hemmed in by the limitations of the term "NPC."
>>47752046
DMPC, despite the name suggesting they are just a DM's PC, is actually generally taken to mean a DM's Mary Sue of a character.
>>47751852
Dmpcs in my group are generally the characters the dm would normally play when not dming. Are used as substitute chars for visitors or when a group slips up and someone doesn't have a char or Mook servant to play in the group split (don't want someone having to sit there for 30+ minutes while the group does something just because they are scouting solo).
Rules include, dm doesn't generate any piece of treasure that is awesome for only their char. Thier pc also takes a major step back in terms of action, only doing the basics of thier class, or if asked by the group to do something.
We do this so that we don't have to a) start a new set of chars every switch up; and b) explain why a new pc turns up so frequently.
>>47751852
Easiest difference:
Players voluntarily involve hirelings/henchmen/followers.
The DM imposes a DMPC (also sometimes called an FNPC; the F stands for "favored").
>>47751852
>DMPC
Gets forced on the players. Exact details can vary.
>Hireling / NPC companions
Gets hired / recruited by the PCs. Exact details can vary.
![uhMnv8P[1].jpg](https://i.imgur.com/LhIDywR.jpg "uhMnv8P[1].jpg")
best hireling coming through
>>47752538
Literally who?
>>47752585
She's a side character from an anime. Notable because she's Not Shit(tm) at helping her employer in combat and is a generally competent dungeon delver.
>>47751852
This (>>47752046), but also give the hireling a reason to be there. If they're there for the money and it's nice and simple, from there you should be adding to the character a little more from an emotional and roleplaying level so they're something the party is invested in--for more than just doing things for them.
Maybe have them add to or help strike up roleplaying conversations at the evening camp fire? Put a bit of emphasis on how they're cooking and how fantastic it tastes? Have them volunteer to help out with things that they might not have volunteered for when they are first with the group?
Make them lesser than the party from a mechanical perspective, yeah. But also make them a person. It acts as a bit of a roleplaying aid, but it also acts as a bit of a contextual anchor for your players. Every person they interact with is a person, just like Johnny, and because Johnny's someone your players WANT around for more than just chores, this will help them interact with your world better.
>>47752619
>from an anime
Fucking secondaries.
