tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4143435314932633148.post4385509727898313638..comments2024-03-29T00:10:02.849-07:00Comments on B/X BLACKRAZOR: B/X Charisma & Henchmen (Part 3)JBhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03263662621289630246noreply@blogger.comBlogger9125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4143435314932633148.post-46174333204008432662011-07-20T11:28:17.044-07:002011-07-20T11:28:17.044-07:00@ Fictive:
That's actually not a bad house ru...@ Fictive:<br /><br />That's actually not a bad house rule...I think I'll implement it (so long as the retainer is getting decent treatment from the employer!).JBhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08532311924539491087noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4143435314932633148.post-8242040797334899922011-07-20T08:51:33.137-07:002011-07-20T08:51:33.137-07:00I think that in combat if the bad guys pass 2 mora...I think that in combat if the bad guys pass 2 morale checks they fight to the death. Maybe the same for retainers; they have a "probation period" and if they pass 2 morale tests, they're in it for life.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4143435314932633148.post-68125028082607455182011-07-19T12:44:03.976-07:002011-07-19T12:44:03.976-07:00@ Fumers/Luke:
Hey, man, as I said in my first po...@ Fumers/Luke:<br /><br />Hey, man, as I said in my first post I blame myself for any misconceptions of what retainers were...because *I* was the one using 'em wrong! <br /><br />Bif, Mac, and Clem (and all their assorted brethren) were men-at-arms for hire, armed and armored as per the B2 description. Those guys weren't good for anything more than dungeon fodder the way they were statted up (as evidently proven in play). However, I'm thinking now that they weren't really "retainer material."<br /><br />Anyhoo, I'd be happy to do the "in-between-excursion" housekeeping stuff via email so as not to waste folks' time.<br />; )JBhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08532311924539491087noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4143435314932633148.post-15283882278503507602011-07-19T09:21:31.363-07:002011-07-19T09:21:31.363-07:00I'm the GM quoted above, and I don't have ...I'm the GM quoted above, and I don't have any misunderstanding about how the play of party NPCs has worked out in the game so far. Half hour of tedious "hire some dudes with dumb names at the tavern" followed up by immediate death because they all have leather armor and 2 hit points. <br /><br />Hiring Tim, Bim and Dim at the Red Dragon Inn every session so the characters can survive one extra combat isn't fun for me. I'm not 14 anymore with all weekend to play D&D, and these time sinks get annoying. I'd rather play a game with fewer monsters so the extra meat shields aren't necessary.<br /><br />The DCC RPG character funnel worked because the extras aren't NPCs. The players just play more characters, and that's pragmatic in a "let's just play the fucking game" kinda way.Fumershttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14156302616243889562noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4143435314932633148.post-2870490629398273932011-07-19T08:35:15.466-07:002011-07-19T08:35:15.466-07:00"annoying morale checks/self preservation goa..."annoying morale checks/self preservation goals"<br /><br />That cracked me up. My players treat the help with due respect, from link boy to 0 lvl mercs to classed retainers. The natural long term consequences of treating NPCs in a sociopathic manner are so severe, it's an untenable option for law-oriented charcters.<br /><br />I see a lot of creative hireling use that is generally non combat oriented(the group is 4-5th lvl): guards to make and break camp and go into town for routine provisions, local backwoodsmen to scout for enemies, young guys to run messages if the party separates, or if the group needs to alert the local authorities and doesn't want to divert major resources to such a menial task. <br /><br />Every now and again a hireling gets clipped, but in general, the party takes great pains to keep them out of direct harm. They've discovered that having infrastructure issues resolved frees them up to spend way more time kicking monster ass in the dungeon.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4143435314932633148.post-55966320351582242132011-07-19T07:49:34.372-07:002011-07-19T07:49:34.372-07:00I think that the roll to lose a retainer should ha...I think that the roll to lose a retainer should have some modifiers applied to it, at the GM's discretion.<br /><br />As an example, if a retainer has served with a PC for a long time and his experience has been a good one, then I would say that it is worth a -1 or -2 to the roll.<br /><br />Similarly, if the PC is of a higher level than the retainer, then maybe that is worth a -1 or -2 to the roll, depending upon the magnitude of the difference.<br /><br />Treating a retainer poorly should be worth a +1 or +2 on the roll. Etc.Alanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00999861302655014098noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4143435314932633148.post-87758498422664258142011-07-19T03:23:41.957-07:002011-07-19T03:23:41.957-07:00The roll to lose a retainer goes some way to ensur...The roll to lose a retainer goes some way to ensuring the NPCs don't eclipse the PCs in character and achievement. They're transient.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4143435314932633148.post-30509225719270875142011-07-19T01:40:27.653-07:002011-07-19T01:40:27.653-07:00Retainers must check morale after each adventure; ...<i>Retainers must check morale after each adventure; if the morale check is failed, they will not adventure with their employer again...</i><br /><br />what a terrible rule! i'd never use that as written.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4143435314932633148.post-55673603423237069502011-07-18T23:38:13.018-07:002011-07-18T23:38:13.018-07:00We played by running 3 characters per player. Norm...We played by running 3 characters per player. Normally with one of each back at the base camp holding the horses and handy for a TPK if the main group got wiped. Our groups maxed out at 4 or 5 players, henchmen and hirelings were NPCs under the DM's control, but normally handled pretty straightforward after the PCs got to know them and their personalities. It seemed to work wonderfully for our group and I've used the same set-up as a DM for the last 30 or so years.Jason Zavodahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13109502376214104276noreply@blogger.com