- See also Henchmen PHB.
Sooner or later, all players are going to discover the value of henchmen. However, knowing that henchmen are useful and playing them properly are just not the same. Misused and abused henchmen can quickly destroy much of the fun and challenge of a campaign.
As stressed in the Player's Handbook, a henchman is more than just a hireling the player character can boss around. A henchman is a PC's friend, confidante, and ally. If this aspect of the NPC is not stressed and played well, the henchman quickly becomes nothing more than a cardboard character, depriving the DM of a tool he can use to create a complete role-playing experience. For the DM, a henchman is just that—a tool, a way of creating an exciting story for the player characters.
An NPC Becomes a Henchman[]
There is no set time at which a player character acquires a henchman. Running a player character and a henchman together is more difficult than just a player character alone. Not every player will be ready for this at the same time, so the DM should control which players get henchmen and when. Wait until the player has demonstrated the ability to role play his own character before burdening him with another. If the player does not assume at least some of the responsibility for role-playing the henchman, the value is lost.
Neither is there a set way to acquire a henchman. The DM must use his own judgment. Since a henchman is a friend, consider those things that bind friends together. Being treated as equals, helping without expecting reward, trust, kindness, sharing secrets, and standing by each other in times of trouble are all parts of it.
When a character does these things for an NPC, a bond will develop between them. The DM can allow the player to have more and more control over the NPC, deciding actions, role-playing reactions, and developing a personality. As the player does this, he begins to think of the NPC almost as another player character. When the player is as concerned about the welfare of the NPC as he would be for a normal player character, that NPC can be treated as a henchman.
The Player Takes Over[]
Once the DM decides that an NPC is a henchman, he should make two copies of the NPC's character sheet, one for himself and one for the player. Not everything need be revealed on the player's copy—the DM may choose to conceal alignment, experience point totals, special magical items, or character background. However, the player should have enough information to role-play the henchman adequately. It is hard to run a character properly without such basic information as Strength, Intelligence, race, or level. Ideally, the player should not have to ask the DM, "Can my henchman do this?"
Naturally, the DM's character sheet should have complete information on the henchman. Moreover, the DM should also include a short description of the henchman in appearance, habits, peculiarities, personality, and background. The last two are particularly important.
Establishing the personality of the henchman allows the DM to say, "No, your henchman refuses to do that," with reason. The astute player will pick up on this and begin playing the henchman appropriately.
A little background allows the DM to build adventures that grow out of the henchman's past. An evil stranger may come hunting for him; his father may leave him a mysterious inheritance; his wife (or husband) may arrive on the doorstep. Even a little history is better than nothing.
A henchman should always be of lower level than the player character. This keeps the henchman from stealing the spotlight. If the henchman is equal or greater in level, he could become as, or more, important than the player character. The player might neglect his own character, an undesirable result. Thus, if a henchman should reach an equal level, he will depart the service of the player character and set out on his own adventures. This doesn't mean he disappears forever. He is still present in the campaign, can still show up periodically as a DM-controlled NPC, and can still be considered a friend of the player character.
Role-Playing Henchmen[]
The player is responsible for deciding a henchman's actions, provided they are in character for the NPC. This is one of the advantages of the henchman over the hireling. The DM should only step in when the player is abusing or ignoring the personality of the NPC.
For example, Fenris, a henchman known for his sarcastic and somewhat self-centered view, has been captured along with his master, Drelb the Halfling, by a band of twisted trolls.
DM (playing the trolls): "Ha! My brothers and I are going to roast one of you and let the other one go! So, who's going to hang from the spit?"
Player: "Well, uh...Fenris remembers how many times Drelb has saved his life. He volunteers."
DM: "Is Drelb telling the trolls this? Fenris is going to be real upset if he is."
Player: "No, no! It's just what Fenris would do."
DM: "Sure. He thinks about it and, you know, it doesn't seem like a real viable solution to the problem. He leans over to Drelb and says, "You always wanted to sweat off a few pounds, Drelb."
Clearly, there are times when the DM can step in and overrule a player decision regarding henchmen. There are things a henchman simply will not do. The relationship is supposed to be that of friendship. Therefore, anything that damages a friendship sours a henchman. The DM should think about those things he would never ask of a friend or have a so-called friend ask of him. If it would ruin one of his own friendships, it will do the same in the game.
For example, henchmen don't give useful magical items to player characters, don't stand by quietly while others take all the credit, don't take the blame for things they didn't do, and don't let themselves be cheated. Anyone who tries to do this sort of thing is clearly not a friend.
Henchmen don't, as a rule, go on adventures without their player character friend unless the purpose of the adventure is to rescue the PC from danger. They don't appreciate being given orders by strangers (or even other player characters), unless their PC friend is also taking orders.
Henchman Bookkeeping[]
As the henchman is played, it is the player's responsibility to keep track of any information about the henchman that isn't kept secret. Not only does this make running the game a small bit easier for the DM, it forces the player to pay attention to his henchman.
Among the things a player should keep track of is a henchman's experience point total. Henchmen do earn experience points from adventures and can advance in level. However, since they are not full player characters, they only earn half the experience a character would normally get.
They also expect their fair share of treasure and magical items discovered—more, if they took a significant risk. They expect the same care and attention the player character receives when they are injured or killed. Indeed it is possible for a forsaken henchman to return as a vengeful spirit to wreak havoc on those who abandoned him!