Review - Empire of the Ghouls (5e) - Richard Green, Wolfgang Baur, others

[Beoric]

I can't remember if 1e differentiated between henchmen and cohorts the way 3e does. Cohorts get a full share and tend to level up just 2 or 3 levels behind the characters.

Henchmen only got half XP. Hireling men-at-arms with levels (sergeant, lieutenant, captain, steward, etc.) get no experience and are incapable of raising levels beyond what they have. Even in 1e the PCs are special elites.

 

[The Heretic]

Now that I think about it, that'd make a pretty good DCC 0-lvl funnel. The players play henchmen through a series of desperate engagements. The lucky ones survive long enough to get names. Or go Paranoia style and make them henchmen for a sadistic antihero who throws them at giant monsters and into death traps. There has to be an opportunity for the smart/lucky to survive, so it's not just pointless misery.

Aha! A funnel where you play Sir Robilar's orc hirelings during his exploration of the Tomb of Horrors!


The Heretic