Retainers

[black1blade]

I find it amazing how many rules misinterpretations are possible even with such a simple and eloquent game system. All these years (about 3) I thought retainers could only reach half the level of their master. Now I feel bad for all the experience I made the party waste...

[Longman]

I don't quite get this...

Normally, potential retainers will be one-half the level of the employer (or less). So,
a first level character cannot hire retainers, second level PCs can only hire first level characters, and so on.

I'd say if you have limited retainer level to one half the level of the employer PC, you've gone totally by the book.

IMC I say they are half the EXP of their boss, not half the level. Getting thief retainers is a bargain in that system. Hiring a retainer MU will be at a disadvantage.

[Dimirag]

Just for the record, I also interpret the rule as you Longman, but:

Its says that the level of a potential retainer is normally half the level of the hiring PC, but doesn't say that its the minimum level, nor that its the highest possible at the time of hiring, I could see a level 6 fighter hiring a 4th level retainer, as its says, its a rule for balance.

It also does not says that a retainer is limited in level growth to half the level of his employer only that it gains half the XP amount, which may be enough to leave the retainer a couple of levels behind w/out level limits.

[Solomoriah]

A "potential" retainer is half or less of the level of the hiring character. That's where the retainer starts... but getting half a share of XP means that the retainer will tend to rise relatively quickly until he or she reaches one level less than the master, and thereafter will tend to remain one level behind. It's all math.

Just because the retainer begins at half the level does not mean that he or she is DOOMED to stay that way. If that were what I meant, I'd have said so clearly.

[Dimirag]

Thanks for the clarification Solo, after I wrote my comment I started to see it the way you post it, sometimes one reads something in a casual way and never stop to analyze the parts

[Longman]

Yeah, I had never really analysed the word "potential" before. I understand black1blade's comment a bit better now.

I think the basic ground rule of "retainer starts and stays at half the exp level of the PC" is basically in line with the core rules and an easy way to keep things going without too much paperwork.

But the rules actually allow for up to 4 retainers per PC so if that ever happened, I might need to get a bit tighter about where I started the retainers' level.

[Solomoriah]

I think the basic ground rule of "retainer starts and stays at half the exp level of the PC" is basically in line with the core rules and an easy way to keep things going without too much paperwork.

Dunno about "paperwork" but that "ground rule" is NOT in line with the core rules.

Let's assume, for simplicity's sake, that we have a fighter hiring a fighter. Let's further say that the boss is 4th level; thus, he can hire up to 2nd level characters. A 2nd level fighter signs up, and she has 3,000 XP (for example; I'd usually go halfway between levels like that). Let's further say the master has 12,000 XP at this point.

If the boss earns another 12,000 XP, the retainer gets 6,000. That puts the retainer at 9,000 XP, or 4th level, while the master goes up to 24,000 XP, or 5th level.

Let's do it again, doubling the master's XP to 48,000; this adds another 12,000 to the retainer, putting her total at 21,000 XP. She's now 5th level, while the master is 6th.

This pattern continues up to 9th level, at which point the curve flattens out and the retainer begins to slowly fall behind.

THIS is how I intended the rule to work. I'm not saying you can't do it your way (it's your game, you are always right to do what you want), I'm just saying that forcing the retainer to stay at 1/2 the master's level is not "in line" with the core rules.

[Longman]

Dunno about "paperwork" but that "ground rule" is NOT in line with the core rules...

I'm just saying that forcing the retainer to stay at 1/2 the master's level is not "in line" with the core rules.

I'm not saying that, Solo. I'm saying that the retainer starting and staying at 1/2 the master's exp level is a pretty simple way to work that out.

Your example starts in between the levels, but ultimately the pattern is the same.

Let's say the fighter had just 4000 exp (2nd level) and then hired a retainer, who had 2000 exp (just gotten to 2nd level).

If the boss gains another 12000 exp, that would put him on 16k, at 5th level.

The retainer would therefore gain 6k and be on 8k, at 4th level.

I'm not saying the reatiner should stay at half the master's level, at all. Just saying that half exp is a decent guide that I use.

[Solomoriah]

Oh, I see. Never mind... carry on, nothing to see here.